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South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong renames ‘space oil' drug as etomidate to help deter potential users
Hong Kong authorities have renamed the emerging drug 'space oil' as etomidate, after its main ingredient, as part of efforts to avoid promoting any positive feelings towards the narcotic. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Thursday that police had intercepted 250,000 vape cartridges containing the drug in the first half of this year, compared with just 7,000 over the same period in 2024. 'Some of the drug traffickers made use of the name [space oil] to promote the fantasy and positive feelings of taking the drug. This is absolutely wrong,' he said as he announced the narcotic's renaming. He said the substance had to be 'properly' named to prevent people from forming any positive associations with the drug, while urging news outlets to adopt the phrase. Authorities previously used the name space oil for vape cartridges that mainly contained the anaesthetic etomidate, which was classified as a dangerous drug in February. In June, Tang said the government had been considering renaming the drug as 'zombie oil' as lawmakers had raised concerns that using the name space oil could risk romanticising the narcotic's usage.
HKFP
2 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Same-sex partnership bill: Hong Kong's top court rulings have force of law – lawmakers should know better
At the heart of Hong Kong's success has been its reputation as a bastion of the rule of law in Asia. Yet Hong Kong's rule of law has been severely tested. In 2014-15, for 79 days, protesters occupied the city's Central district in defiance of the law, characterising their action as civil disobedience. A core characteristic of civil disobedience is breaking the law to protest a political or social cause and facing the consequences. Authorities arrested many of the protesters, especially their leaders, prosecuting and convicting them for public order offences. Officials reminded citizens of their duty to obey the law. In 2019, anti-government protesters repeatedly broke the law, breaking into and trashing the Legislative Council (LegCo) chamber, confronting and resisting police, violating public order laws, rioting, and other kinds of violence and vandalism. By 2021, authorities had arrested at least 10,000 and had charged at least 3,000 with various crimes ranging from riot to undermining national security. In its landmark policy statement made public on October 31, 2019, the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee reminded the people of Hong Kong of their duty to obey the law and urged authorities to strengthen education in the law. Their focus was on Hong Kong's foundational documents, the Chinese Constitution and the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution. Central and local authorities have repeatedly urged citizens to respect the law. It is the law, Chief Executive John Lee has said, and therefore must be obeyed. For example, in 2023, speaking about whether authorities would permit Tiananmen commemorations, the chief executive said: 'Everybody should act in accordance with the law and think of what they do, so as to be ready to face the consequences.' Speaking of national security, Secretary for Security Chris Tang and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam have repeatedly urged citizens to obey the law. As pointed out by Lam, Article 42 of the Basic Law reads: ''Hong Kong residents and other persons in Hong Kong shall have the obligation to abide by the laws in force in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region'. The rule of law can only exist and prevail in a society where people are willing to, and in fact, obey the law. It follows that people who breach the law should be brought to justice.' In our system, Court of Final Appeal (CFA) judgments have the force of law. To disobey the law, as the secretary for justice has pointed out, is unacceptable. It follows that citizens may not cherry-pick the law, deciding on their own which legal obligations to follow and which to ignore. It comes as a disappointment that three lawyers, all LegCo members, appear to be advocating disregarding Hong Kong's legal obligations. At issue is the government's proposal to establish a same-sex partnership recognition scheme to fulfil a top court-imposed legal obligation. The three lawyers – Priscilla Leung, Holden Chow, and Junius Ho – have all denounced a government bill that would meet the court's requirements and are actively campaigning against it. They propose no alternative. Other lawmakers appear to have noticed the hypocrisy. For example, LegCo member Edmund Wong asked whether LegCo would be framed as 'not respecting the rule of law' if it rejected the bill. Simply put, yes. What message does this send? May citizens decide on their own which legal obligations to obey? How can it be right to obey legal obligations generally but to disobey others based on some personal considerations? What if each citizen followed this example? The consequences would be chaos. The Basic Law requires that LegCo consider the government's proposal, and so it should. But are they up to the job? Consider the comments of lawmaker Erik Yim, who declared that if the government's proposal became law, 'after completing registration, the same-sex couples might hold bouquets and even wear wedding gowns [at the registration office], taking pictures and sharing them on social media. This may give society a sense of de facto marriage.' Mr Yim should realise that we already celebrate overseas marriages in Hong Kong. I am attending a same-sex couple's wedding banquet in Hong Kong next month. We hold bouquets, we wear wedding attire, we take pictures and share them on social media. The sky has not fallen. Are all LegCo members well enough informed to pass judgement on this issue? I don't understand. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang has urged LegCo members to be 'rational, balanced and pragmatic.' Let's hope his advice prevails. We're supposed to have an executive-led system. Where is it? To the government's credit, authorities recognise that even if LegCo rejects the bill, the government will have an ongoing legal obligation to fulfil the CFA's ruling. And so it should.
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Hong Kong seeks to tighten prison visit rules on national security grounds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Hong Kong authorities say there have been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of "humanitarian relief". HONG KONG - The Hong Kong authorities on July 7 presented a proposal to lawmakers to tighten prison rules to restrict visits by lawyers, religious personnel and doctors on national security grounds, a move critics said would further undermine prisoner rights. In a government paper submitted to the legislature, the Security Bureau said there had been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of 'humanitarian relief' in an attempt to influence prisoners and to 'arouse their hatred' of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. Under the proposal, the Correctional Services Department could apply for a magistrate's warrant, giving it the right to block or impose conditions on prisoner contact with specific lawyers and doctors. Hong Kong's mini-Constitution, or Basic Law, enshrines the legal professional privilege to safeguard confidential legal advice between lawyers and their clients, including in court and prison, and the right to choose a lawyer. But Security Secretary Chris Tang told lawmakers that while prisoners do not lose all their rights, 'the rights they enjoy are not the same as those of people not in prison, and the time they can exercise these rights and freedoms must be limited by the need to maintain national security, discipline and order'. China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offences like subversion with possible life imprisonment, following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The ongoing crackdown on dissent, including the use of powerful new national security laws to arrest pro-democracy campaigners and shutter civil society groups, has drawn criticism from countries including the US and Britain. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River Opinion Hong Kong's past is disappearing, one icon at a time Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown Hong Kong and Chinese authorities say the laws have brought stability and order. Jailed pro-democracy activist Owen Chow and his lawyer were convicted in 2024 for violating prison rules after his lawyer took a complaint form out of the prison without authorisation. A veteran lawyer, who did not wish to reveal his identity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that this proposal further 'extends the power' of the authorities over those accused of national security offences. Mr Derek Chu, the founder of prison rights advocacy group Waiting Bird, told Reuters that it would further silence individuals such as barrister and activist Chow Hang Tung, who has remained outspoken, even behind bars. 'It cuts off the support to the political prisoners inside, further isolating them and undermining the will of those who are willing to fight for justice and human rights,' Mr Chu said. Ms Chow and her mother Medina were among eight people arrested for sedition under the Article 23 national security laws enacted in 2024, for allegedly using a Facebook page to 'advocate hatred' against the Chinese and Hong Kong government. Under Article 23, the police chief can apply for a magistrate's warrant to deny suspects arrested for alleged national security crimes access to a lawyer. The current proposal can be gazetted directly into law by the government, and then vetted by the legislature. REUTERS
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong criticised for prioritising pets over women on public transport
Hong Kong lawmakers have criticised the government's unwillingness to create women-only areas on trains and buses, questioning why these areas are not afforded the same privileges as those granted under a special travel scheme designed for pets. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung dismissed the idea of establishing designated zones for men and women on Hong Kong's public transport system during a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, citing potential disruption to operations. In response to a question from lawmaker Ambrose Lam San-keung, who inquired about setting up such zones to prevent sexual harassment, Tang said that designated compartments would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. He added that implementing such zones on buses was not viable due to the smaller size of the vehicles, which would affect boarding and alighting efficiency. According to Tang, police received 141 reports of sexual assaults or indecent filming on public transport premises, such as compartments and stations, in the first five months of this year. This accounted for 14 per cent of all cases reported in such locations. The number of sex-related cases on public transport premises reached 374 in 2022, an increase of more than 100 from the previous year. The figure rose to 383 in 2023 before decreasing to 360 last year. MTR Hong Kong staff creativity goes viral with catchy announcements But Lam expressed dissatisfaction with Tang's response, questioning why the MTR Corporation could introduce special travel schemes for pets but not women-only compartments. 'It's really better to be a dog or cat than to be a person,' he said. The rail operator commenced a two-month trial in May to allow pet owners to bring their dogs or cats onto Light Rail trains on weekends and public holidays after purchasing a pass. Lam asked whether the MTR Corp would use its experience from the pet scheme to launch a pilot programme for designated compartments for men and women. But Liu Chun-san, undersecretary for transport and logistics, rejected the suggestion. Liu explained that as the intention behind male or female-designated compartments was to prevent physical conflicts or indecent filming during crowded periods, such measures would need to be implemented during rush hours. 'If we run trials on non-peak hours and specific routes, we must carefully evaluate whether such trials could offer a useful reference,' he said. He added that the MTR Corp considered it inappropriate to designate compartments based on sex, noting that it was not a common global practice. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said that designated compartments would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. Photo: May Tse But lawmaker Ngan Man-yu, who represents the Kowloon East constituency, said that the MTR Corp possessed the capability to manage passenger flow effectively, even with exclusive compartments, citing the example of first-class carriages on the East Rail Line. 'It gives residents a feeling that if you pay, the MTR could do it. If you don't, the female-designated compartment will never be possible,' he said. Another lawmaker, Elizabeth Quat, said that while not all women would require such compartments, their availability would at least provide a choice. 'But the problem is the government has never tried, despite our long raising of this issue,' she said. In its reply to the South China Morning Post, the MTR Corp said it would not provide further comment and referred the newspaper to Tang's remarks. In a paper to the council's subcommittee on matters relating to railways in 2011, the MTR Corp rejected the concept of women-only compartments, citing large passenger flow and challenges in flow control. Similarly, in 2016, the government dismissed then-lawmaker Chiang Lai-wan's suggestions to establish such areas for comparable reasons. Tokyo is one of the few cities with women-only train compartments for rush hour as part of efforts to prevent sexual harassment. The carriages are exclusively for women, people with disabilities, and children of junior school age or younger during peak traffic hours. The Japanese capital's metro rail system served an average of 6.84 million passengers every day in 2024, compared with the 4.68 million recorded on Hong Kong's own service during weekdays.
South China Morning Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
‘Better to be a dog': Hong Kong lawmakers call for women-only areas on transport
Lawmakers have criticised the government's reluctance to introduce women-only areas on trains and buses in Hong Kong, questioning why they are not given the same privileges as those within the special travel scheme made for pets. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung dismissed the idea of establishing designated zones for either sex on Hong Kong's public transport system during a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, citing potential disruption to operations. In response to a question from lawmaker Lam San-keung, who enquired about setting up such zones to prevent sexual harassment, Tang said that compartments exclusive to either sex would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. He added that implementing such zones on buses was not viable due to the small size of bus carriages, which would affect boarding and alighting efficiency. According to Tang, the police received 141 reports of sexual assaults or indecent filming on public transport premises, such as compartments and stations, in the first five months of this year. This accounted for 14 per cent of all cases reported in such locations. The number of sex-related police reports on public transport premises increased by more than 100 cases in 2022 to 374, compared to the previous year. The figure rose to 383 in 2023 before decreasing to 360 last year.
