Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at a media session after the opening ceremony of Smart-Space 8 today (July 26).
Reporter: The Government received a lot of applications for its second round of the self-recommendation programme, and do you have specific, more specific, advisory roles that you plan to open up for those who are interested in joining the programme?
Chief Secretary for Administration: Our intention is quite clear. We want the voice of young people to be heard at the upper echelon of the Government. In other words, we want their voice to be heard at the top level of the Government, involve fully young people in policymaking, policy participation. And the very fact that we got 1 500 applications for only 20 positions this time underlined the fact that young people are very keen. In fact, the largest number of applications actually goes to the Council for Sustainable Development, followed by the Lantau Development Advisory Committee and also one of the social welfare advisory bodies involving building a harmonious community and so on. The Transport Advisory Committee attracted over a hundred applications. Now, these show that our young people are really very concerned about Hong Kong's livelihood, Hong Kong's long-term development. They want their voice to be heard and they are very serious about it. We want to connect with our young people and walk hand in hand with them. OK?
Reporter: Do you see a need for the Secretary to make a public apology over the scandal?
Chief Secretary for Administration: I think he really didn't mean it at all. We all respect and value greatly the contribution of the police force in Hong Kong given the very fact that Hong Kong is now the world's number three safest city. This simply testifies to the fact that our police force is one of the finest in the world, if not the best. What the Secretary for Development meant at the book exhibition was purely in the context of a book that he read. It's in the context of a book that he read. It's not a general comment at all, it is by no means a criticism. But he is aware of the sentiment of the colleagues in the police force. He will be in touch with them and explain the situation.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
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