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Clutching straws to stay in Hong Kong

If a Hong Kong passport were put under the hammer, how high would the bidding go? The answer is that some would go to any length to stay, no matter what the cost...

By Wong Heung Wing

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The prices are different from place to place. The official quota, however, is fixed.

As a result, the quota is sold wholesale to more profitable areas, and then sold retail to customers like Mr. Ho Wen Kai, 22.

He was neither buying a car nor a house.

What he bought was the right of abode in Hong Kong.

“Everyone who wants to get in line has got to pay. But paying it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get what you want.

“It is like an auction — the more you pay, the more likely your bid for it succeeds,” said Mr. Ho.

Mr. Ho’s parents are Hong Kong citizens. He was born and grew up in China with his siblings.

He earned about 6,000 yuan (about $6,600) a month when he was in China, a fair amount of salary over there.

But he gave it all up in order to live with his parents in Hong Kong.

“All my siblings and me were in China. I wanted to be with my parents so I could take care of them,” said Mr. Ho

Thus he explained why he gave up so much just to live in Hong Kong.

So he paid the money.

But the game was not that simple.

“My father had beefs with a friend of a local official, so my application was ‘terminated internally’,” said Mr. Ho.

His plight didn’t stop here.

In 1984, the Joint Declaration between the Chinese government and the British government stated that children of Hong Kong permanent citizens had the right of abode in Hong Kong.

But on 9 July 1997, the Provisional Legislature passed a law which stated that these children have to get the Certificate of Right of Abode in China before coming to Hong Kong, retrospective back to 1 July, 1997.

Now Mr. Ho has no such certificate but a visa way past due.

He is still in Hong Kong because he is waiting for an appeal, along with his friends who are in similar situations.

If the appeal fails, which is very likely, he will be forced back to China.

“My name is already blacklisted. If I go back to China, I will never be able to come to Hong Kong again,” said Mr. Ho.

Since he and his friends have stayed in Hong Kong for quite a long time, they will be recognized as “fat” in China, meaning a chance to squeeze money out of them.

“When people are forced to go back to China, they will be detained first when they arrive,” said Mr. Ho.

“Then they have to pay up to 10,000 yuan (about $11,000) to get freedom. If they don’t pay, the officials will order two of the detainees to fight, and the winner will get a discount.

“Since the officials never land a punch on anyone, they are safe from prosecution,” continued Mr. Ho.

He knows so much of this money game because his mother paid 80,000 yuan to get here.

Moreover, a friend of his uncle is in this business.

And even a story like Mr. Ho’s is considered a “good” one. At least he had something to pay.

For others, like Mr. Wong Chiu, 29, their reasons for coming to Hong Kong are more financially oriented.

“If I don’t come to Hong Kong to earn more money, I and my family will die,” said Mr. Wong.

“I have been a businessman for many years.

“Business, however, has gone sour recently. And I have lost thousands of yuan,” said Mr. Wong.

“I have a 10-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter to feed. I believe that in Hong Kong one will not die as long as he is hardworking,” said him.

Mr. Wong’s other reason to come to Hong Kong is that he wants to be with his parents.

“My whole childhood was alone without having my parents’ around.

“And my 52-year-old father was handicapped by an accident. I have got to take care of him,” said Mr. Wong.

“I am not planning to stay in Hong Kong forever but I hope that I will get the right of abode someday.

“My plan is that I will work in Hong Kong and live in Shenzhen,” said Mr. Wong.

“I know that my odds are low but at least I have tried.

“Even if I am forced back to China, I will live the rest of my life without remorse,” said Mr. Wong.

Reading this story carefully, one will find that it involves two interest groups.

The first kind are people like Mr. Ho and Mr. Wong, whose parents are Hong Kong citizens. They want to stay with their parents and find jobs in Hong Kong.

The second type are local citizens.

Because of the Asian economic crisis, many people lost their jobs. Competition in seeking jobs is very keen.

That’s why Mr. Ho and his friends get so much resistance, as some Hong Kong people see them as their main competitors.

Mr. Ho and Mr. Wong are members of a committee that was set up to fight for the right of abode for people like them.

Mr. Ng Kai Yuk, 60, is also one of the leaders.

“I am a Hong Kong citizen and I want to get my son to Hong Kong,” said Mr. Ng, who already has three sons in Hong Kong and two in China.

“It is the government’s responsibility to create job opportunities,” said Mr. Ng.

There are also qualms saying that people like Mr. Ho and Mr. Wong are jumping the queue as there are many mainlanders are awaiting to come.

“Actually, we are not jumping the queue. We have also waited for decades. We are just fighting for our rights,” said Mr. Wong.

The rights they are talking about are not just the right of abode, but also the right to live with family and to get jobs.

To achieve their goals, they nearly gave up everything they have in China; their children will live without having their parents’ around; their names will be blacklisted by Chinese officials, and more.

Father Franco Mella, an Italian missionary, helps organize the strikes and other actions for Chinese asking for the right of abode.

He may have an explanation why these people are so eager to live in Hong Kong.

“Everyone has a right to be with his family.

“These people are no exception,” said Father Mella.

Mr. Ho has given up much just for the right of abode. (Wong Heung Wing)

Protesters urge the government to release children who have been kept in the prison. (Wong Heung Wing)

Protesters express discontent about the government's decision by having a hunger strike. (Teny Siu)

Father Franco Mella becomes famous because he fights for the right of abode for the mainlanders. (Wong Heung Wing)

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