Xi Jinping Think Tank Zheng Yongnian said that there is no shortage of capable people in Hong Kong’s business sector. The key is to find them. I do not know the size of the pool of capable people in Hong Kong, but I am very certain that there are many “Capable Displays”. Capable Display is the abbreviation of those who often appear to be competent and good at work, while their doors are always closed.

The other name for Capable Display is loyal (true or false, does not matter) garbage. The local term for it is “disposables”. Be it the implementation of the National Security Law, or “finessing” (finishing) the electoral system, in the end, Beijing had to finish the job through the hands of the National People’s Congress (NPC). The gang of disposables only know to clamor their loyalty and support one after another, to give thanks to the central government.

When you get nothing done and the boss has to step in to finish the work, the normal response should be “sorry” and not “thank you”. Funny that this Capable Display had the audacity to say that she is very satisfied with the promotion of these two tasks. Damn, when the state mouthpiece interviewed you, the NPC had not yet formally passed the bill, and the legislative work had not yet started in Hong Kong. You, satisfied with what?

It already looks atrocious when the National Security Law and the political reform needed Beijing to step in, and Capable Display is useless to a point where even people’s livelihood issues such as housing are now requiring Han Zheng to step up to call for a resolution, to pave way for the central government to take charge. No wonder Capable Display is even looked down upon by the local commies, who are asking to half her salary.

The greatest sorrow is the loss of hope. Looking around at the phenomenon of decades of democratic regression, many friends around have thrown their hands up and said whatever, whatever you want; a colleague who has been a political reporter for decades said that he used to think a status quo was bad enough, who knew there could be worse. Yet I feel that as people, we must look ahead positively. At this point, since Beijing is going to step in whenever and whatever, then I strongly call for it to simply deal with, once and for all, the New Territories Small House Policy issue that has left all those Capable Displays stuck for years.

Looking through data and information, in 2012, the then-Director of Development Carrie Lam once said that the rights of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories cannot keep going indefinitely. She had proposed that the Small House Policy be halted after 2047, and with the year 2029 as the demarcation line, where New Territories males born after that year would not enjoy the rights to the Small House Policy again. However, the proposal was later opposed by the powerful in the New Territories and nothing came out of it. On September 12, 2013, Ta Kung Pao believed that new immigrants were not the reason for the housing shortage in Hong Kong. It said that the housing problem in Hong Kong was largely due to the illegal occupation of land by indigenous residents in the New Territories, and the restrictions imposed by the New Territories Small House Policy.

The powerful rural forces often bring out Article 40 of the Basic Law (The lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants of the “New Territories” shall be protected by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), to stop any discussion of their privileges. So, since the NPC’s recent decision on the political system has not violated the Basic Law, as well as the eventual final ruling on universal suffrage, then by the same token, how can the abolition of the feudal and colonial “legacy” privilege of the male Small House Policy of the indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories violate the Basic Law? Not to mention that resolving the deep-seated conflicts between the indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants is to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants. What a progression, one that will also allow one country, two systems to perpetuate. In any case, the NPC is the boss and whatever it says, so it is.

Hey, looking forward to the “New Small House Policy with Hong Kong characteristics” – the abolition of small house privileges of the indigenous residents.

(Chan Pui-man, associate publisher of Apple Daily)

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