A subversion and sedition law was urged in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) to regulate the activities of the Falun Gong in the region, a major newspaper reported February 4 Sunday.

The Sunday Morning Post of the South China Morning Post carried a first-page story calling the local government to actively consider enacting a subversive law to tackle the activities of the Falun Gong in the SAR.

The English newspaper cited the Executive Councilor Nellie Fong Wong Kut-man as saying that in the past there had been no urgent need to enact Article 23 of the Basic Law, which covers subversion and sedition, but the Falun Gong controversy had changed that.

"We didn't actively legislate the article as there was no urgent social need. This time, regarding the case of Falun Gong, we shall have to actively consider enacting Article 23," Fong said, adding that she felt that the existence of Falun Gong in Hong Kong makes Hong Kongers very embarrassed.

The Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was also cited as saying that the government had received a number of complaints from the public about the sect, stressing that the Security Bureau would keep a close eye on its activities.

The complaints included forced distribution of their pamphlets, putting material into wrong mail boxes and persistently sending e- mails. The complaints would be handled in accordance with the law, the newspaper said.

On Wednesday, some Hong Kong-based newspapers also urged the government to take action against the sect by deregistering it under the Societies Ordinance, effectively banning it.

(People's daily 2001/02/04)