Legislation on anthem to be clear: Legal chief
Hong Kong will clarify details when creating local legislation on the National Anthem Law to guarantee the new ordinance is easily understandable to the public, Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwokkeung said on Friday.
The government’s legal chief also pledged to avoid any misunderstanding when the legislation is enforced.
On Friday, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed the National Anthem Law, which makes it illegal for people to distort or disrespect the national anthem, or maliciously change the song’s lyrics or music.
The law, which will be effective on Oct 1, clarifies nine situations in which people should use or play the anthem, such as in important sport or diplomatic events, or in ceremonies for government department conferences.
It also states the anthem should not be used as a trademark, in advertisements or as background music in public places.
The law targets those who deliberately insult the national anthem.” Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai,
Yuen said the fundamental rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people won’t be affected when the law is implemented in the city.
He did not offer a timetable on when the bill will be submitted to the Legislative Council.
According to the Basic Law, national laws are generally not applied in Hong Kong except those concerning matters outside the limits of the special administrative region’s autonomy listed in Annex III of the Basic Law.
Hong Kong’s sole NPCSC delegate Rita Fan Hsu Laitai said after the voting that there were similar laws that safeguard national symbols implemented in Hong Kong through local legislation.
The National Flag Law and National Emblem Law were added to Annex III of the Basic Law, and local ordinance — the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance — was passed accordingly. The ordinance has been effective since July 1, 1997 — the day Hong Kong returned to China.
Fan thought that as the law was passed by the nation’s top legislature, local education on national anthem should be gradually improved.
The law targets those who deliberately insult the national anthem, Fan stressed. She believes it will not penalize innocent people even if they don’t know the lyrics or can’t sing it properly as long as they behave solemnly and respectfully when the anthem is on.