The tentacles of autocracy are reaching into every aspect of Hong Kong people’s lives.

In the name of national security, the clammy claws reached into the schools and into the brains of your children. Liberal Studies is alienated into the worship of the national totem, the greatness of the party, and the state is always right. You just need to know, you do not need to ask anything nor do you need to think critically. In the name of money laundering, the claws can reach into your most private domain, your bank account can be frozen at any time, and your life savings can be robbed, while banks and courts dare not object.

Originally a ritual where civil servants swear to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the government, the oath-taking requirement has become the latest legal weapon. There is a dedicated person to monitor and supervise the arrangement. The oath of loyalty has turned into a long-term ideological censorship spell, which is tightened or loosened according to the mood of the powerful. Some law-abiding civil servants are concerned whether the oath of allegiance is valid for life. Will they still be subject to regulation when they retire and live on pension? If you are considered “disloyal” in the future, will those slimy authoritarian tentacles reach down your throat and make you “spit out” your pension?

One simple way to tell if a government is authoritarian or not is whether it has intruded into your most personal sphere. In the past, the party was very considerate and decided for you where to live, your household registration, family planning, partner in marriage, workplace, and even where to eat. This is a model of totalitarianism. The autocratic machine in Hong Kong, though not as powerful, is growing greedily. There are several areas where they are hungry to get their hands tightly grasped.

First, mandatory universal testing is promoted in the name of “emergency.” These people are eager to make the Mainland’s fight against the epidemic a new type of powerful country totem. However, they ignore the unique system of the Mainland, which is equipped with a compulsory household registration system, subdistrict offices, and neighborhood committees. Not only is this system of social control effective micromanagement but it is also not easy for citizens to voice complaints about poor arrangements. The system is efficient because it is always ready to cooperate with social distancing, regional lockdowns, or a complete shutdown without a sound from dissenting voices. Globally, Taiwan and New Zealand have shown to be leaders in handling the pandemic. Neither country enforced universal mandatory testing, as there is more than one way to fight the epidemic. Moreover, it is difficult to deal with the daily life problems brought about by a lockdown as Hong Kong has no household registration system nor a list of community residents, and is densely populated. Hong Kong people do not trust the government and no one is willing to use the health code. If testing becomes compulsory, the world will be in chaos.

For those who advocate universal mandatory testing, have they ever thought that once implemented, it will mean that Hong Kong will have to shut down for two weeks during the Christmas and New Year season with no guarantee that it will be done once and for all. It is also impossible to guarantee if the fifth and sixth waves will continue to come in the future. They have been harping on the benefits of compulsory testing in order to polish the apple and sing the praises of their masters. Additionally, they want to find opportunities to expand the government’s power infinitely, to invade basic necessities in the name of the epidemic, to exploit fear, and to get people used to being tamed.

The second area is the claws of control to reach out to cyberspace in the name of combating fake news. The chief executive already has special power above the executive, legislature and judiciary, and also has the so-called fourth power of the news media by the scruff of the neck. Will the emerging “fifth power” of the world of netizens be far away? Recently, the pro-establishment camp has been calling for the control of “fake news.” There is no doubt a flood of fake news in cyberspace, which has been a world of pain for European and American governments trying to solve this problem. There are generally four solutions: government control, court supervision, technology companies to control their own platforms, or teaching media literacy skills in schools. The European Commission’s study concluded that the government should not be allowed to distinguish between true and false information because it would be tantamount to allowing the government to decide on the “truth,” which would lead to the dangerous “Ministry of Truth” in the dystopian novel “1984.” In Hong Kong, we must beware of the “Ministry of Truth” coming out of nowhere through the “Fake News Act” to stifle the last bastion of freedom of speech for Hong Kong people in the cyber world.

Recently, the party media and the veiled red media have been vigorously advocating the punishment of Hong Kong people who use BNO. There is no smoke without fire. The attempt to suppress Hong Kong people’s freedom to choose their residence and vote with their feet will be a giant step towards totalitarianism.

We are surrounded by spineless creatures with ugly suction cups on their tentacles that insatiably creep into your social circles, invade your children’s brains, disturb your otherwise peaceful retirement, and interrupt your life’s choices. It is a long battle, so please be aware of the situation and defend well against it.

(Allan Au Ka-lun, veteran journalist)

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