The political situation has changed rapidly, and the legislation of national security law and the reform of the electoral system have been implemented. Some people regard it as the Dinghai magic needle, believing that the future will suddenly become brighter and they can finally show their talents. Some people feel that they are on pins and needles, fearing that in the future they will be unable to do anything, and participating in politics will only lead to nothing. Hong Kong lacks political talents. People's attention to politics has become more and more popular in recent years. When good times come, people are naturally excited to try.
Overcoming adversity with a will to serve
Outstanding political talents are often full of public service ambitions and will go all out to devote themselves to their careers no matter good or bad times. This ambition drives many young professionals to enroll in the third Senior Executive Diploma "Political Leadership" course even under the shock of anti-extradition law amendments and the national security law. The approximately one-year course, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Academy of Political Science and Administration and the School of Professional and Continuing Education of the University of Hong Kong, was successfully concluded this month. Feeling that Hong Kong lacks systematic professional training to improve the level of the new generation of politicians, we have held three courses and are currently recruiting students for the fourth.
The classes given by the heavyweight lecturers were certainly wonderful, and I also benefited a lot from the students’ policy topics. Their topic selections have their own characteristics, and you can get a glimpse of how experts in different fields think about Hong Kong issues. Maintaining national security has been a hot topic recently. If the SAR wants to legislate Article 23 in the future, can the spirit of common law be used to take into account the scope that overlaps with the national security law? National education is nothing new in foreign countries. How can the concepts of rights and obligations be extended from the individual level to the family, society, and even the national level? Good governance relies on the interaction between the government and civil society. Think tanks are called the "fifth power" after the administration, legislation, judiciary and media. How can the government, private sector and business schools participate in order for this ecosystem that proposes innovative ideas and influences public opinion to flourish? ?
In addition to governance and politics, they also pay attention to the economy and people's livelihood. Hong Kong considers itself an international financial center with its service industry as its backbone. It has also been criticized for its hollowed-out economy and single industrial structure. Has the Greater Bay Area opened the door to reindustrialization? Talking about sustainable development in Hong Kong often stays at the level of environmental protection. In fact, the United Nations has proposed 17 sustainable development goals, covering poverty eradication, gender equality, quality education, social inclusion, etc. Can Hong Kong catch up with global social development thinking? Practitioners also tried to offer solutions to difficult problems such as housing and medical care.
Politicians must know that they have heavy responsibilities
Many people think that entering politics is equivalent to running for election and becoming a member of parliament. At the beginning of the semester, I reminded students that that is just one of the paths in public affairs. In the future, they may become accountable officials, join consulting organizations, or serve Hong Kong in their own professional capacity, so they must Be prepared to change society in various positions. After they have spent about a year completing the policy project, I encourage them to think about why the changes they advocated have not happened. There are stakeholders with different attitudes in society. Not to mention political turmoil, it is not easy to balance the interests of all parties in daily policies. Retreating from difficulties will only result in failure.
On the political road, you will definitely encounter criticism, fault-finding, and accusations, but politicians have lofty goals, know the burdens, and are determined to move forward. To borrow the words of Roosevelt: "Honor belongs to those who are truly in the arena." Friends who are interested in participating in public affairs may wish to equip themselves to exert influence in society.
Ray Poon
Co-Convenor (Research), Path of Democracy
