Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu speaks to the media ahead of an Executive Council meeting on Jan 31, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stressed on Tuesday that public gatherings must be held in an orderly, peaceful and lawful manner, adding that the authorities are obliged to ensure the activities will not endanger national security.
A spokesperson for the Development Bureau said on Sunday that the government respects the right to freedom of expression and reached out to local residents to listen to their views through various channels
On Sunday, about 80 people marched against the government’s reclamation plan for Area 132 of Tseung Kwan O district, after obtaining a letter of no objection from police. This was the first demonstration authorized by the police since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2019.
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The reclamation plan proposes developing Area 137 of Tseung Kwan O into a new community that can accommodate 135,000 residents. To make way for the project, it also proposes reclaiming 25 hectares in Area 132 of the district, to accommodate six public facilities, including a marine refuse collection station, a waste transfer station, and a concrete batching plant.
In response to the demonstration, Lee said any public gathering must be held in an orderly and peaceful manner and in accordance with the law. He added that gatherings should respect the rights of those not involved and ensure there are no acts that might endanger national security.
“We have to be careful that any public gathering will not be hijacked or turn into troubles that will cause not just inconvenience, but also risks to public order and national security,” he said.
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A spokesperson for the Development Bureau said on Sunday that the government respects the right to freedom of expression and reached out to local residents to listen to their views through various channels.
The bureau will study the possibility of reducing the scale of the reclamation by slope-cutting, as well as the feasibility of locating some of the facilities in caverns. It will also ensure that the design, facade and operations of the six facilities are not obtrusive and will not cause a nuisance to the community, the spokesperson added.