Hong Kong is a city of contradiction. No wonder even Premier Wen says that there is a deep level of contradiction (深层次的矛盾)in the HK society.
Hong Kong is a city where the peoples enjoys one of the highest degree of freedom and liberty in any Asian society. Yet it has a partially dysfunctional political system.
Ever since handover, there is a large section of HK peoples demanding for universal franchise. The government is often seen as re-active and worst handicapped. Very often the government was unable to make any decisive decision even after having rounds and rounds of consultation. Former Premier Zhu famously remarked about the first post-handover administration under CH Tung – deliberation without decision and decision without action.
Some commentators say that the HK government is incompetent because it doesn’t enjoy the popular mandate and that the universal franchise is the panacea.
Such is the contradiction between freedom and democracy.
Every now and then, the Unionist and the Democrats are hurling the accusation that the government and the business sectors conspired to milk the workers and the people at large. The fact that HK had not legislated any law on minimum wage or anti-Trust are cited as evidence.
HK government is also accused for closing one eye to the often questionable (not necessarily illegal) practice by property developers. Most recently, a proper developer is alleged to have artificially inflated the property price where apartments were sold with price reaching as high as USD 9000 psf. The allegation is premised on circumstances which is rather suspicious. 24 preliminary S&P agreements were transacted with off-shore companies and the execution of almost all of which had yet to be duly completed which are quite outside the norm.
Besides being a city where the property market prices itself out of the reach of great many, HK is also a city probably with the second highest ratio of luxury vehicle per capita after Monaco.
This should be appraised against a society where it is not uncommon to see elders pulling the cart in the crowded HK street collecting used papers or bins in return for meager income for subsistence.
This is also a city where many thousands of blue collars are earning just or below USD 3 hourly rate in the restaurant. A sizable numbers, many by circumstances, are living with the aid of social security.
Such is the contradiction between the rich and the less privileged.
On the cultural front, despite being discriminated against for the entire colonial period under the British rule, HK had only recently enacted the legislation against racial discrimination.
For a long time, the earlier Chinese migrants to HK looked down at the later batch of Chinese migrants and Cantonese language is widely used as a segregation tool if I may observe.
Such is the contradiction of a predominantly Chinese society dealing with inter and intra racial equality. At least and at last, HK has become enlightened.
HK is the very city that I have made it home for the last 10 years.
Despite the many shortcoming, I am actually in love with her.
I feel save and I feel proud of her.
The peoples here are perhaps one of the most charitable in the world. The society is free, just witness the media and the press. The civil service is almost corruption free. The civil society is vibrant, just witness the active NGOs in conservation and environmental protection.
The religious freedom is not retrained. The government funded health care despite repeated call for reform remains one of the best in the world.
The educational system is also generously funded even though it could deliver a better job.
The art and culture sector may not be as creative but there is a sizable inflow of good talent. Public amenity are readily available. Social courtesy and good mannerism is largely the norm.
Above all, this is a society anchored on the rule of law, judicial independence and an unassailable respect and safeguard for liberty and freedom. Even a giant like Google find retreats here.
I am off to celebrate my 10 years living in Hong Kong.
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1 comment:
Happy 10th Anniversary of A True Hong Konger!
Your post illustrates the oft-mentioned comment that liberty is not the same as democracy; and democracy is not the same as liberty. One needs liberty to anchor the spirit of democracy but one also needs democracy to put liberty into action.
Your summary of the quality of governance and life in Hong Kong actually throw a new light to your laments earlier in the same post. Dissatisfaction with the Government of Hong Kong is not the same as saying that the Government is doing a poor job.
Hong Kong has high expectations of itself in terms of getting the job done - its a paradise for do'ers - and hard measurable performance is everything. Being part of the PRC during this can-do phase of history certainly accentuates that part of your character.
But studies of human history should tell us that "doing" is not everything. What you appreciate the most about Hong Kong is actually about what it is, its character and integrity, rather than its achievements alone.
A clean, progressive, technocratic government that is largely conscientious and interested in doing good by Hong Kong is one that Hong Kong can - and should - be proud of. Just ask how many countries in the world has that, much less in Asia.
Universal sufferage is important to sustain and nourish that positive asset that Hong Kong has, but one should also be mindful that you already have a pretty good deal in governance.
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