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Hong Kong extradition bill
OpinionLetters

LettersHong Kong extradition bill protests blurring the lines between peaceful picket and mob riot

  • Protesters and their supporters must see that rights come with duties for trust to thrive between the people and government
  • This applies to ‘one country, two systems’ as well

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A protester sits down on a Sha Tin street to make a point about non-violence, during a rally against the now-shelved extradition bill, on July 14. The posters on the ground call on demonstrators to give up violence and protest peacefully. Photo: Edmond So
Letters
I refer to Ms Gauri Venkitaraman’s letter (“How a city demanding its rights can leave Singapore puzzled”, July 4) in response to Mr Leslie Fong’s article (“The view from Singapore: Hong Kong is a city tearing itself apart”, June 21).
There are enough Singaporeans who empathise with the frustrations of the average Hongkonger over a slew of issues, including the extradition bill, and understand why around a third of the city’s population has taken to the streets to vent collective anger and concern.

Unlike in Singapore and other democracies, Hong Kong does not have universal suffrage. The Hong Kong chief executive and administration are effectively selected by Beijing via proxies. The civil liberties that Hongkongers have long enjoyed in a peaceful, constructive and civilised manner, despite not having the right to exercise power at the ballot box like Singaporeans, are under serious threat.

Nevertheless, in a city like Hong Kong that takes great pride in its rule of law, I trust that Ms Venkitaraman can discern the difference between simply voicing one’s opposition via nonviolent street protests and taking the law into one’s own hands.

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