As Hongkongers protest national security bill, pro-China govt launches $7 million worth ads seeking support
Jun 27, 2020
Hong Kong, June 27 : With thousands of Hongkongers taking to the streets to protest against the national security legislation, the pro-China government ironically has launched advertisements calling for public support for the legislation.
Till now, the Carrie Lam-led government has spent about $ 7 million from the taxpayers' money, according to an exclusive report by the Hong Kong Free Press Journal.
"The campaign is an insult to Hongkongers and a waste of taxpayer's money. [The government] wanted people to 'not ask, just believe'... Even when citizens know nothing about the legislation, they were still asked to trust the government," Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan was quoted as saying in the HKFP.
According to the Hong Kong government, it has spent about HK$6,880,120 of tax payers' money to promote the national security law. Though Chief Executive Carrie Lam has accepted that she does not have information about the nitty-gritties of the law, that has not stopped her in spending the stupendous amount to call for public support via billboards, trams, buses, TV, radio, social media and newspapers.
While criticising the government campaign for lacking content, as the promotional videos and posters did not include details of the proposed laws, Chan said that the advertisements seem to be "one-way brainwashing."
City-wide protests have been taking place sporadically in Hong Kong since June 2019, with protesters claiming to oppose China's increasing influence on the special administrative region.
The latest wave of protests was caused by a security bill specially tailored by Beijing for Hong Kong.
The security legislation, which bans secessionist activities, among other things, is seen by Hong Kong residents as undermining their liberties. However, both Hong Kong's leadership and the central government say the bill would not affect the legitimate rights of the residents. Beijing maintains that the unrest in Hong Kong is a result of international interference and vows to respect the "one country, two systems" principle.
