Security Secretary blames foreign influence for distorted national security mindset
Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak has warned that foreign influences may impact or alter a person’s national identity recognition.
He stressed that such an impact or alteration may be “unconsciously” planted, under the influence of foreign cultures when a person lives in a foreign place, especially when the Western world is “apparently” regarding China as enemy.
Elaborating on his own comment, the senior official imagined that local students may lose national identity recognition if they stay long enough outside.
“Some people may find their own country better after living abroad, while others may lose recognition and start hatred of their own country under foreign influences,” Wong said.
At the same time, he called for educators to contemplate how to extend national security education for local students staying overseas, while admitting that the task would be difficult.
The comment was made at a consultation session on the amendment on the National Security Law. The public consultation process for the law review is underway.
To prepare for this legislative review, the government has reiterated that Macau is prone to intense national security threats. When asked for evidence on the claim, Wong said the evidence is considered to be a national secret in status, which he does not have the right to disclose.
At the same session, Wong also highlighted a “three-step staircase for cultural safety,” which includes education, the media and culture, with education being the most important factor.
He also expressed that there would be a need for national security and related topics in the curricula at foundational and tertiary education levels, as well as in organizational training courses for associations.
More contemplation is required, he added, as to whether the addition to curricula should be mandated by legal means.
Wong also suggested that Macau people showing support or sympathy towards the series of protests in Hong Kong in 2019 was a result of external influences. He blamed people replicating in Macau certain actions that happened in Hong Kong for generating panic. As such, he called for the education sector to stay alert.
On the other hand, the matter as to whether daily communications would be monitored after the passing of the amended law was also raised in a consultation session. It was also asked how the government would supervise and control communication tapping.
In response, Wong said that the local mechanism relies on judicial approval and supervision. Data collected by tapping must receive judicial approval in order to become evidence; otherwise, it will only be considered intelligence.
“The judge of law has discretion on accepting or declining to take intelligence as evidence,” Wong said.
He assured that the tapping mechanism proposed in this legislative review will be aligned with the incumbent wiretapping law, which heavily relies on judicial approval and supervision.
Similar to his manner of speech in previous sessions related to the law review, Wong told people to not worry about being prosecuted unless they are not wholeheartedly patriotic.
“If you’re not into jeopardizing national security, you need not worry,” Wong said. “You need not worry if you’re not concealing anything and are fully for the interests of [China].”
