Radicalism bad for HK

More opponents of the moral and national education (MNE) program have joined a hunger strike initiated by three members of the student group "Scholarism" outside the SAR Government Complex. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying wished the protesters good health and reiterated the government would not order schools to teach MNE. Leung also said he hopes the issue be resolved through rational discussion.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam also called on parents and student groups to discuss the MNE rationally and frankly. She said that by trying to coerce the government through radical measures to withdraw the MNE subject is not the best way to handle the matter and that is not what society hopes to see.

The MNE program took the government nearly 10 years to prepare. It underwent extensive public consultation which helped to achieve a consensus. The Professional Teachers' Union (PTU) in past statements had demanded that the government "attache importance to students' moral and national education". MNE finally was put forward as a separate subject in primary and secondary schools in the last SAR government's final Policy Address published last year.

Now the PTU has reversed its position a full 180 degrees and is attempting to force the government and the whole society to follow its vacillating course. These inflexible demands violate the basic rules of the game in a democracy and may be regarded as nothing other than an attempt to establish a "radical supremacy" over rational society against the public interest.

Hong Kong society's mainstream values include rationality, balance, moderation, freedom and progress. Local residents know what they are looking for and are capable of expressing their desires rationally and peacefully. Such civic awareness is part of the foundation for social harmony and stability in Hong Kong. Unfortunately radicalism has been rising in recent years, as some people and political parties have resorted to radical means instead of frank dialogue and rational discussion to impose their own demands on society as a whole.

This time they are trying to force the government to withdraw MNE and abolish it for good, in the same manner they delayed the high-speed railway construction project a few years back. It is an election campaign maneuver to serve their own interest by using a few students as pawns. Therefore, this action should be condemned by all members of society.

This is an excerpted translation of a Wen Wei Po editorial published on Sept 3.

Add public housing supply

CE CY Leung announced 10 short- to medium-term measures to help cool the overheated housing market last week. In principal, he outlined more specific plans to fulfill his earlier campaign promise to increase land supply and to make available more public and subsidized housing units. The government's efforts to address the housing issue by increasing supply of public and subsidized flats without affecting the private housing market shows the authorities' cautious approach toward the property market.

Because the 10 measures can provide only 1,800 public housing units in the short term, falling far short of actual demand, it is unlikely the new initiative will bring the government's purpose to full realization. The government needs to show more resolve and try harder to step up land and housing supply in the long run. Secretary for Transportation and Housing Cheung Bing-leung said on Sunday if private housing supply cannot meet demand in the next few years, the government may increase the supply of public and subsidized housing to balance the housing market, therefore there is no cause for panic among local residents.

The first weekend after the announcement of the 10 housing measures saw a predictable wait-and-see attitude among potential buyers in the second-hand residential market. The number of prospective buyers turning up at homes for sale was estimated to have fallen by 10 percent from the previous weekend.

Medium and small flats, however, remain scarce, as most sellers are still optimistic about price prospects and some have even put their properties on hold until prices rise higher still. This indicates the supply of relatively affordable flats is still far below demand and the number of public housing units the government can put online won't be enough to make a difference. Also, questions remain as to how many land lots are ready for housing construction and whether the overly complicated procedure for approval of factory-to-residential building conversions can be simplified.

Timely supply of public housing units is key to stabilizing the market, but the root of the problem lies in land supply, something government should explore more deeply.

This is an excerpted translation of a Hong Kong Commercial Daily editorial published on Sept 3.

(HK Edition 09/04/2012 page3)