政治和正治 Hong Kong will benefit from being politicised

政治、經濟和民生三個詞常掛在官員、議員、學者等等口邊，不過相比起「經濟」和「民生」的名正而順和堂而皇之，說得誇張一點，「政治」好像背負著很難堪乃至醜陋的罪名。例如常聽官員或商人或親建制的議員批評某人將某事「政治化」就好像加給了別人一頂「只懂破壞，不會建設」的帽子。

有識者自然會對這些人和事不以為然，但至今在普羅大眾心目中，香港仍應是多講或只應講經濟的城市，而政治則應避之則吉（可見：http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=4191），這是令我感到苦惱和痛心的事，好像自己區議員這個身份在別人看來也不過是靠「只懂破壞，不會建設」而混飯吃的工作。所以下面南華早報前兩日的社評為香港可在政治化中獲益，雖然不能說是什麼深刻的見解，但也算是少見的評論了。

不過，如我以前說過，「政治乃眾人之事，大家的要求和批評更嚴苛，這不僅是應有之義，更是自由社會之所以自由的特徵。」（http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=3464）

The SCMP's editorial two days ago is worth sharing, because it's rare for the press, or official or politician to mention the benefit of HK being politicised, especially in a city which the name of politics is poisoned by mean criticism（http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=4191）. 

Yet it's a good sign for HK as a free society, as I said before, it's a closed society if few people dare to talk about politics. （http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=3464）

南華早報  (發行量 / 接觸人次: 100,004) 2011-04-04 EDT14 | EDT | editorial 標示關鍵字 字數: 593 字

跳至同頁之其它標題 Hong Kong will benefit from being politicised

Last week, the city's most influential tycoon, election committee member, Grand Bauhinia Medal recipient and Basic Law drafter, Li Ka-shing, expressed concern that "Hong Kong has been politicised". It is unclear why Li felt that Hong Kong's politicisation was a cause for concern since he himself seemed happy to meet President Hu Jintao last year in what must presumably have been a show of his respect towards Hu's political status. Li's only elaboration of that remark was that he hoped "those who care about the territory will act for the benefit of Hong Kong". Ordinarily, politicisation is something to be welcomed and many people around the world would snap up any chance to be involved in a genuine political process. Civil strife has been breaking out across North Africa and the Middle East precisely because the people are now desperate for a real political process that can ensure their leaders "act for the benefit" of their nations and not just themselves. However, there are indeed valid concerns about the nature of Hong Kong's politicisation. More and more political parties and organisations are being born causing potential confusion among the constituents. Lawmakers and activists are resorting to more radical methods to generate publicity for themselves. This in itself is not a problem - all directly elected lawmakers around the world are aware of the need to show they are representing the interests of their voters. But in Hong Kong, expressions of discontent only get as far as the legislature, where there are fiery debates that do not necessarily influence policymaking. Many lawmakers are now directly accountable to the public, but the chief executive and his administration are not. Hence Hong Kong's politicisation has so far given the people means to voice their discontent, but denied them effective means to turn those views into long-term policies. This, as Li has remarked, is a concern. It now appears that Hong Kong is in fact in urgent need of a leader who is directly accountable to the general population. Fortunately, since that landmark 2007 chief executive election when the Civic Party's Alan Leong Kah-kit competed with Donald Tsang Yam-kuen for the post, it is now inconceivable that Hong Kong's chief executive should be rubber-stamped without reaching out to the people, making pledges and at least making a show of going through an election process. Current Chief Secretary, Henry Tang Ying-yen, and convenor of the Executive Council, Leung Chun-ying, have long been rumoured as possible candidates. Now, there are indications that Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee may also enter the race. Given Ip's unpopularity as the secretary for security, her emergence as a candidate for chief executive marks a dramatic political renaissance. But since her resignation in 2003, the increased appetite for competitive elections in Hong Kong has transformed Ip into a politician who now responds to the mood of the people. She took a firm stance against amending the law which now allows developers to seek compulsory sale of a building after acquiring 80 per cent of the property interests in it, down from 90 per cent. Ip has been "politicised" and is now one of the most recognisable and popularly elected lawmakers. This is the power of election politics. Hopefully, the upcoming chief executive election will be a hotly contested affair, with a number of candidates and open debates to ensure that our future leader is to some extent similarly "politicised". Li hoped that those who care for the city will act for the benefit of Hong Kong. This can be achieved by more politicisation, not less.