As Hong Kong goes all out to fight the novel coronavirus, emergency laws are needed to deal with fake news and rumors to avoid panic and confusion in the community, former secretary for security Lai Tung-kwok has urged.
The rumors included talk that a local political party would hand out free face masks, security guards at an upmarket shopping mall have been infected with the disease, and the HKSAR government has been asked by mainland authorities to take in infected patients.
The government should invoke the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to punish rumormongers more severely in times of adversity
Lai Tung-kwok,
former secretary for security
There’re also talk that supplies of food and basic daily necessities, such as rice and even toilet paper, are running out, causing residents to hoard them in panic.
Lai noted that the police have arrested a security guard for spreading rumors that several security employees at a shopping mall have come down with the coronavirus.
“Disseminating fake news to cause panic and chaos in society is a criminal offense punishable under the Summary Offences Ordinance,” he warned.
“Due to the abundant information available on the internet, people should differentiate carefully whether such information is genuine or false, and not to share them casually.
“The government should step up efforts in issuing reliable information. For example, the Centre for Health Protection holds daily press conferences and the chief executive regularly meets the press. Apart from the statements by officials, a summary of the contents of press conferences should be uploaded for the benefit of the press and residents,” said Lai.
“I noticed that after the CE had announced a new quarantine measure on Feb 5, people scrambled to buy food and daily necessities fearing they would be sold out in no time, prompting the government to clarify the situation and tell residents not to panic.”
Lai praised Liberal Party legislator Peter Shiu Ka-fai, who represents the wholesale and retail constituency, for holding a press conference on Thursday with representatives of the food sector to assure the public that there’s a stable supply of rice, meat, vegetables and daily necessities.
The penalty for rumormongering is a mere $1,000 fine and two months’ imprisonment.
“This is the law that stands and the government should invoke the Emergency Regulations Ordinance to punish rumormongers more severely in times of adversity.
“The ERO was given a clean bill of health by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law in February 1997 for it to remain valid after reunification. But, it was ruled as being inconsistent with the Basic Law in the mask-ban case.
“If the ordinance were valid today, the government could declare face masks as essential commodities, and prohibit merchants from stockpiling them and raising prices.”
