Wong claims legality in denying entry to Hong Kong lawmaker
Kwok Ka Ki shows a document issued by local authorities barring him from crossing the border
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Civic Party’s lawmaker Kwok Ka Ki was denied entry into Macau because he allegedly poses threats to Macau’s internal stability.
Kwok attended a demonstration in memory of China’s top dissident, the late Liu Xiaobo in Hong Kong last Saturday. After the demonstration, Kwok had planned to travel to Macau with his wife to celebrate their 30th marriage anniversary, but was stopped at the border.
“This is an extremely amusing thing,” said Kwok, commenting on Macau’s refusal of entry, adding that “I have never practiced any official or non-official events other than traveling, and my own identity is that of a Hong Kong lawmaker. It is beyond myself to think of any threats I could pose to Macau’s internal security.”
The Hong Kong lawmaker called on the neighboring SAR’s newly elected chief executive, Carrie Lam, to demand that Macau authorities explain how he constituted a security threat.
Kwok also criticized Macau chief executive Chui Sai On and speculated that Beijing had influenced the decision. In a letter Kwok claims to have sent to Chui, the Hong Kong lawmaker said he requested an explanation as to why he was refused entry. Kwok said that if he feels the reasons are insufficient, he will “demand a public apology.”
When asked about what threats Kwok could pose to Macau’s internal stability, Macau Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, said: “Regarding that matter, I have emphasized in the past that every country and every region has its own immigration control policies.”
“To those who carry influence or threat to region’s security, that country’s or the region’s law enforcement department has the right to execute the law.”
“Macau’s situation is the same; our legal system is the same as the rest of the world in terms of regulations […], we have the right to do it, both Portugal and the European Union are the same,” said Wong. He added that “the police force has its own information as basis for each individual, which allows it to analyze case by case and make a decision. I believe that this particular decision is a professional and legal one. Of course, whoever is affected by it has the right to appeal.”
When asked again about how could Kwok pose any threats to Macau’s security, Wong claimed that the police force has judged each individual case according to the law, and that the police force’s judgement “will not be disclosed according to the law.”
Uber’s suspension well received
The Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, claimed that Uber’s exit is not a matter of whether he is satisfied or not. While attending a police force related event yesterday, Wong commented on Uber’s decision of suspending its business in Macau.
“My satisfaction lies in everybody obeying the laws and executing the law legally,” said Wong, reaffirming that when that happens, “I am satisfied.”
“If there is someone who does not obey the laws, […] it is our obligation and duty to execute the law legally.”
When asked whether Uber’s exit is due to the success of the police force’s law enforcement in cracking down app-based taxi hailing services, Wong said “we cannot remark that it is [our] triumph or something else. Simply, anybody who does not obey the law should drop out.”
