民不穩 政不變

蘇軾在《晁錯論》中有這樣的一句開場白：「天下之患最不可為者，名為治平無事，而其實有不測之憂。 坐觀其變而不為之所，則恐至於不可救。起而強為之，則天下狃於治平之安，而不吾信。」這似乎道出了梁振英先生正面對的難題。他的競選口號是「穩中求變」， 意思大概是在穩定的社會中尋求改變。那麼特區現在是否可說是真的平穩無事？梁特首上場所求之變又是否只局限於架構改組，而非治港之變？要變的話，又是何 時、如何的變？ 盼施政重心變非重組架構 從某角度而言，回歸十五年除了有個別時段之經濟起落外，可說是「治平無事」；但也可說 是風雲暗湧。○三年「七． 一」五十萬人上街，逼使中央換了一位特首。今年「七． 一」四十萬人上街，意味着甚麼？梁特首可能會說這是前朝留下的怨憤，但四十萬人怒吼要他上任當日下台，他卻硬把責任推往上手，似乎有點牽強。 第 二天，那新上台的梁班子如何回應四十萬人之怒吼？梁班子的回應是落區「諮詢」市民。這裏有幾點奇怪之處：一)、到社區見一百幾十人，談一些漫無目的的議 題，算是回應了四十萬人的訴求？二)、這幾十萬人的訴求，其實也是立法會過去多年來一直爭取的訴求。立法會既為全港市民的代表，要回應這些訴求，為何不到 立法會回應，而要捨近求遠、棄多好少？三)、落區聽聽意見便算是切實回應了幾十萬人逼切之訴求，便是最擁護梁班子之堅實支持者，也難以立信。 就 算是不求穩，只求變，也要變得有道理。架構重組只是框架上的改變，而市民逼切期望的，是管治素質的改變、是施政重心的改變；那麼現在真實的改變在哪裏？市 民首先見到的似乎是行政立法關係陷於崩潰邊緣，無藥可救。這樣的變，不要也罷！行政立法關係弄得如此僵持不下，當然是一貫長官意志的嘴臉、缺乏圓滑妥協之 器量所帶來的必然後果。若說是因為一些實質利民之政策而須與立法會鬧翻，也可能比較勉強說得過去。但只為了架構重組？在很多人眼中，這只是毫無政治智慧之 表現！ 未來五年政治料只有更壞 可能最令人愕然的是一堆甚麼「香港營」、甚麼「大和解」、甚麼「用人唯才」之動人說辭後，大家 見到的卻是比曾蔭權更親疏有別、比董建華更用人唯親的政治分贓。只需看看精心組合的管治班子，大致上可歸納為三類人：一）、前朝不受歡迎之高官；二）、選 舉期間之親信；三）、左派陣營中最保守之代表。便是稍有名望的林鄭月娥和林煥光也為了要左右撲火而弄得應接不暇，雙林之公信力亦因此而大大削弱。這算是變 好，還是變壞？ 在如斯惡劣的情況下，要提出一些建設性的建議也不知從何說起。修補行政立法關係可能是最逼切的第一步；與各黨派，包括民主陣 營，作出真誠和有意義之交流可能是必須之第二步。但要做到這兩點，放眼梁營眾多人物中，橫看豎看也看不出有甚麼人可以勝此重任！這也是梁振英管治政策不變 之致命傷。往後五年可能是特區政治上最不穩定的時刻；沒有最壞，只有更壞。各從政者均需好自為之！

Breaking Point (Letter to Hong Kong, 8th July, 2012)

Last Sunday was the 15^th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR. But while there were fireworks over the Victoria Harbour celebrating Handover Day, there were a few hundred thousand people still marching in the street calling for the stepping down of CY Leung. That must be a record for any “elected” leader of any community to be so humiliated on the first day of office.

That there is celebration and demonstration marking this most important day in the history of Hong Kong at the same time, is more than just an irony here. The debate is not whether there were 400,000 people in the streets, or just over 100,000 as some academic claimed; but what such an unprecedentedly unpopular Chief Executive will do to an already fragile and apprehensive community. Just ask any man in the street.  What he will tell you is that the new Chief Executive will herald the coming of Article 23 legislation, the complete breakdown of relationship between the executive and the legislature, and the erosion of all the core values of Hong Kong such as the Rule of Law, Press Freedom, Freedom of speech, of demonstration and of the person. You may say there is no proof of that. But the perception is there. And perception is two-thirds of the truth in politics.

But some will tell you it is not all perception. Relation with LegCo is indeed at an all time low. Even before he took office, Mr. Leung tried to ram his government restructure proposal through LegCo without proper consultation or much supporting information. He refused to talk to the Pan Democrats and did not name any of them to his cabinet lineup. And right after the Great March on the First of July where 400,000 took to the streets, what did he do? Instead of immediately start working with LegCo to deal with the demands of those who took to the streets, he went to "consult" the public by going to the districts. This is as insulting to LegCo as it is pretentious. All the demands of the people who joined the March were long the demands of LegCo. And in any event, what district community in Hong Kong is more representative than LegCo? Furthermore, these events are all staged with the help of pro-government parties. But even then, such events were marred by protesters disrupting proceedings. So who will be fooled by such pretensions? Very few, no doubt.

Nor can the writings on the wall be ignored. Press freedom indeed is diminishing. When state leaders come to Hong Kong, the press is being treated as lepers. They are being pushed to places as far from the leaders as possible and any questions touching sensitive issues such as June 4th will be met with immediate false arrest. Press cameras can be blocked by police whenever they like. Government Information Service no longer dishes out information regularly and fairly to all. Instead, Government prefers to release information to "friendly" newspapers in couched terms. Even the Central Policy Unit is now headed by an ex-executive of a leftwing think tank.

Freedom of expression is also going from bad to worse. When it comes to the Central Government or the Liaison Office, anything near a criticism is strict taboo. Wearing a June 4th T-shirt in the vicinity of a state leader can be an unspeakable crime. Students can be false imprisoned on their own campus. Demonstrations are now near pointless as demonstrators are being exiled to places where their presence or voices can never be seen or heard. It is almost like we are living over the border. It is almost like Mr. Leung is heralding the arrival of a repressive regime.

So how can you blame the people for feeling unrest? Or being apprehensive? How can they trust Mr. Leung? Although most are convinced that the feeling is mutual. It is not openly said. But the actions of Mr. Leung speak volumes. But why is it that the people of Hong Kong cannot be trusted? Why cannot the Pan Democrats be trusted? From the point of view of most people, this is a paranoia few can understand. Why fear democracy? Or human rights? Or freedoms?

It is said that the best way to remove distrust is to communicate. But Mr. Leung and LegCo, in particular, the Pan Democrats are not speaking to each other. In fact, he did his utmost to avoid speaking to the Pan Democrats during his election. And there is all the more no reason to speak to the Pan Democrats after the election. The sound of silence is stunning. And this failure of communication may well prove to be the most destructive force in the complete breakdown of the One Country, Two Systems.

路遙不倦

老實說，每年臨近七一，都有一種患得患失的感覺，總是有點害怕：港人對爭取民主公義熱情冷卻、裹足不前。星期日午後不久便到了維多利亞公園天后站入口，準備迎接遊行人士。站在烈日下，看著潮水般的人群步入維園，始終覺得人潮比期望中來得稍為疏落。

三時過後，轉到伊榮街。遊行隊伍經過我的街站，很快便擠得寸步難行，令我回想起○三年被困渣甸坊的情景，心情才平復下來。也許香港人仍是熱情未卻吧！人實在太多，令遊行隊伍進退不得，警方迫不得已只好開放渣甸坊疏導人群，隊伍才可慢慢地繼續前進。

五時許，還沒看見隊尾便要移師到銅鑼灣。我和一眾助理、義工飛步繞道到第三街站，發覺警方已開放了全部路面，所有電車也停駛了，銅鑼灣擠得水泄不通，西望不見隊頭，東望不見隊尾。喊咪之餘，聽到電台報告警方估計遊行人數約五萬，差一點嚇得我從梯上跌下來！放眼一望，單是眼見到的也不止五萬了，這話怎說？

近七時，再轉至最後一站的統一中心。我早已聲嘶力竭，全身疼痛。反正也沒有咪，我便與遊行人士握手拍照，談笑問好。大家恍如知己重逢，互相親切慰問，情境令人感動不已！到了晚上八時，回歸煙花匯演開始，這是多麼富有諷刺性！會展那邊一片歌舞昇平、張燈結綵，這邊卻群情洶湧、怒氣沖天！每當煙花在天空爆發，這邊的人群便不斷喝倒采。社會分化已到了臨界點。

轉瞬間，我們已一起走了十年。無論在烈日當空下，或在淒風慘雨中，這七一精神還是延續下去。但普選仍是若即不及，公義亦仍是每況愈下，還有什麼可說？只好以一句「你我同行，路遙不倦」共勉之！