Falun Gong in Hong Kong : Sect is like smoking or drugs: Elsie

Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung Oi-sie yesterday became the third senior official to support Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's recent labelling of the Falun Gong as an evil cult.
She said Mr Tung had a duty to speak out on the religious sect, just as he had a duty to speak out on other social issues such as drugs or smoking.

She insisted during her speech at a Japan Society luncheon that the government ``cannot wait until actual damage is done before expressing any concern or exercising any monitoring over the actions of this cult in Hong Kong''.

Last month, during a Legislative Council question-and-answer session, Mr Tung said the Falun Gong was ``undoubtedly an evil cult'', although he added that the government did not have any plans to outlaw the group.
Since then his comments have been defended by Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.

Mr Tsang told journalists at the Foreign Correspondents' Club two weeks ago that Mr Tung was expressing a personal opinion, although an official statement the next day claimed this was not what Mr Tsang had said, in that Mr Tung's comments were the official line.

And earlier this week, Mrs Ip reiterated Mr Tung's comments of the need to keep a close eye on the Falun Gong but added that there was no need to enact an anti-cult law now.

Yesterday, Ms Leung said: ``Mr Tung has a duty to speak on a matter of public concern and to warn people about the problematic behaviour of an organisation that has reportedly caused damage in the mainland when we find its presence in Hong Kong.
``He has the duty to warn such an organisation not to cause any social disorder in the territory, just as he has a duty to speak on drugs, rave parties, smoking, air pollution and any apparent deficiencies in our educational system and other social issues,'' Ms Leung said.
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