The New Express Train Link

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  1. #71

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    Quote Originally Posted by HKITperson:
    Not exactly! This has nothing to do with that, but some people wants to politicalize it as though the two are the same.
    Most of the protestors don't give a Toss about the local residents, costs or anything else, only their own private agendas. everything else is a convenient red herring.
    If the democrats were in charge, they all be touting this as having foresight and vision.
    It was politicised as soon as the DAB realised they had another way of showing they could nosh on the Beijing pork sword. This was way before the current revelations came to light which, when they did, meant they had to suck harder.

    It was politicised when tycoon's A, B and C lobbied Legco and individual members.

    It was politicised when the insideous James Tien and his "then" Liberal party stood up and lobbied for the link.

    Or, in your view, are you terming politicised as when the Democrats laid objections or protesters argued against parts of the link - which of course the government would want you to believe?

  2. #72

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    I am not supporting the Government on this either. Both sides are as bad as each other. It's just that the pro democratic party are taking the moral high ground when in fact they are hypocritic and don't really care so long as they meet their own hidden agenda. It certainly isn't the welfare of the residents. They are just pawns in this political game.
    So you suggest people do nothing and just get shafted?

    The world really would have progressed from the feudal system with that attitude.
    Last edited by Load Toad; 19-01-2010 at 10:04 PM.

  3. #73

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    Albert Chen's take on things in today's SCMP:

    http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP...ight&s=Opinion

    "Twentysomethings left to battle out our future

    Albert Cheng

    Updated on Jan 20, 2010

    The funding process of the contentious HK$66.9 billion cross-border express rail link finally came to an end after a marathon session in the Legislative Council on Saturday. It immediately prompted thousands of protesters to besiege the Legco building and repeatedly clash with police.

    Young activists from the Post-80s Anti-Express Railway Group surrounded the building after the funding was approved, and demanded to speak to transport chief Eva Cheng. In the ensuing mayhem, some protesters tried to barge into the building, trapping Cheng inside for hours.

    At the height of the confrontation, riot police and uniformed officers were called to the scene and had to fend off the crowds with pepper spray. But, all in all, there was no violent suppression of protesters and the police used only minimum force, which was highly commendable.

    The rail-link project - believed to be the world's costliest rail line per kilometre - has sparked disputes in and out of the chamber, with voices of growing discontent coming from all sectors of the community.

    The anti-rail movement, propelled by a new generation of twentysomething activists, is effectively an extension of earlier protests against the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier and Queen's Pier, and for preservation of Lee Tung Street, better known as Wedding Card Street, in Wan Chai.

    This growing civic engagement is basically a heritage conservation movement that is shifting public focus and support onto conserving and protecting the natural environment. Activists are merely asking for a rethink about the use of public space, green living, construction of cultural facilities and promoting national identity. They are also critical of the institutional relationship between government and business, and demand social justice.

    Since the 1997 handover, there have been constant clashes of values in Hong Kong between rulers and the ruled. The latest campaign has only accentuated growing public opposition to our biased political system, in particular the functional constituencies. The youth-led movement has forced many of us to act collectively and to re-examine what kind of society we want to be in future. The campaign has also bred a strong desire among young people for a democratic urban planning process and an inclusive government.

    Deep structural social contradictions are driving such movements, and the government will pay a high price for taking an autocratic approach: it risks even stiffer opposition to key policies in the future. We cannot afford to wait; the administration must send out signals that it is prepared to reform. We need long-term sustainable development centred on new thinking to find new values to tackle social problems.

    An atmosphere of doubt and a culture of scepticism are attacking the very foundations of our society. Although I support the rail link, I also sympathise with the Tsoi Yuen villagers who must leave their homes. And I admire the noble actions of activists to help those villagers. But I loathe radicalism and acts of violence that disregard law and order.

    Although our political system is heavily biased towards the business and professional sectors, it doesn't give us the right to resort to violence. Unlawful action, such as storming Legco, could potentially cause more harm than good and pose a threat to the advancement of our youth-led social movement.

    Interestingly, members of the post-1980s generation were on both sides of the fence during the Legco confrontation on Saturday; most of the activists and police were all in their 20s. Even reporters at the scene were mostly from that age group.

    Our leaders and unadventurous politicians and lawmakers, who belong to the post-1950s generation, would do well to remember the famous quote from US president Franklin D. Roosevelt: "We cannot always build the future for our youth but we can build our youth for the future.""


  4. #74

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    sorry, wanted also to share this great letter in today's SCMP:

    http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP...itor&s=Opinion

    Please note, it is from a Singaporean, so it may be a bit tainted:

    "Far too much freedom in HK

    Updated on Jan 20, 2010

    I read with despair the reaction of some Hong Kong people to the new express rail link.

    I think Hongkongers have been given too much freedom of speech.

    They should not expect the government to consult them on every decision it has to make.

    After all, it has been elected to run Hong Kong. You should feel so lucky to have someone like Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in office.

    He can help Hong Kong to return to the financial glory of the past.

    The [protesting] students should go back to their books and get their degrees.

    Then they can join a government department and help make improvements, if they really are convinced they can do a better job. They appear to protest over every little matter and I wonder how it is they have so much time on their hands.

    Robert Shen, Singapore"


  5. #75

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    From a Singaporean eh? Or a mainlander masquerading as a Singaporean?! Besides, they get to vote in Singapore, even if there is only one party to vote for.....


  6. #76

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    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    sorry, wanted also to share this great letter in today's SCMP:

    "Far too much freedom in HK"
    Cannot wait to read the responses to this letter next week!!

  7. #77

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    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    sorry, wanted also to share this great letter in today's SCMP:

    Latest News Columns & Insight from Hong Kong & China | SCMP.com

    I think Hongkongers have been given too much freedom of speech.

    After all, it has been elected to run Hong Kong. You should feel so lucky to have someone like Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in office.

    Robert Shen, Singapore"
    Wow. Just, wow.

    Robert Shen of Singapore clearly has no concept of the world in which we all live.

    Or, maybe it is just Jackie Chan's "nom de plume"?

  8. #78

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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    From a Singaporean eh? Or a mainlander masquerading as a Singaporean?! Besides, they get to vote in Singapore, even if there is only one party to vote for.....
    As one of my buddies likes to say: "I used to live in Singapore but I moves to China because I wanted more democracy." (Note: He is talking about the mainland, not one of the SARs).

  9. #79

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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    From a Singaporean eh? Or a mainlander masquerading as a Singaporean?! Besides, they get to vote in Singapore, even if there is only one party to vote for.....
    There are more... But if you happen to live in a district that elects an opposition MP, then it means no more elevator upgrades for your HDB. A truly Singaporean incentive

  10. #80

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    So the democracy that we want is one whereby Governments can start wars, invade countries, lie, murder....?


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