Friday, December 8, 2017 A13

Reform tunnel The quest for trust tolls before city grinds to a halt Robert Lawrence Kuhn says under Xi, has set itself the tough challenge of winning over the people development and the people’s ever- growing needs for a better life”. Bernard Chan says policymakers As Xi said: “The needs to be met he significance of the for the people to live a better life are must overcome the objections of new “principal contra- increasingly broad. Not only have interest groups, and change the diction” in Chinese their material and cultural needs society, established at grown; their demand for democra- pricing system before the whole the 19th Communist cy, rule of law, fairness and justice, TParty congress in October and security, and a better environment tunnel system is overwhelmed advocated vigorously by President are increasing.” Xi Jinping, is underappreciated. It’s This “new-era contradiction”, a surprisingly powerful lens for replacing quantitative gross nyone travelling through the Cross-Harbour viewing China’s domestic policies. domestic product growth with Tunnel – from Causeway Bay to Hung Hom – at Two recent events in Beijing which qualitative quality-of-life improve- Apeak hours knows it is terribly congested. A have shaken public trust highlight ment, is what will now drive policy. recent Transport Department study showed why. For example, it is not that people southbound traffic backed up as far as Mong Kok in the The first was alleged child abuse cannot afford medical care, it’s that morning. In the evening rush hour, queues on Hong at a kindergarten. When authorities they must wait for hours at over- Kong side go as far as Exchange Square in Central. claimed that the hard disk of the crowded hospitals and, even then, These jams are about 3km long. The result is that a surveillance camera had broken have only five minutes with a doc- trip, taking maybe 10 minutes if the route were clear, and that the recovered data showed tor. It’s not that people do not have takes more than 30 minutes. Meanwhile, the Western no evidence of abuse, netizens ridi- good homes; it’s that they do not Harbour Tunnel, from Western to West Kowloon, has culed the claim and suspected a have clean air. Success will be mea- no queues and no delays. cover-up. What’s worse, they said, is sured more by the satisfaction of the Further north, in Kowloon, there is a similar that the police accused two parents people than by the growth rates of discrepancy. The Lion Rock Tunnel linking Sha Tin to of spreading rumours of the abuse. the economy. Wong Tai Sin has a 1.8km queue, on average, in the Angered netizens criticised author- Will “satisfaction” be harder to morning, taking up to 17 minutes to clear. The Route 8 ities for enabling the alleged abuser judge? Chinese people are not shy. tunnel, from Sha Tin to Cheung Sha Wan, has no to mask the truth. And when the Implementing ways of thinking queues or delays. Part of the problem is that the most online criticism was censored, consistent with the new principal popular tunnels are the most centrally located, and anger escalated. contradiction would mean trusting therefore most convenient for many commuters. The second event was a fire in the people more. Here, the media The problem is made worse by pricing. Logically, which 19 people died. All were plays a crucial role. the links with the highest demand should have higher migrant workers and, within days, As with Sars, when truth about tolls than the others (or at least the same). Instead, the many migrant workers were forced unpleasant events is censored, the most popular, crowded tunnels are the cheapest. Even to leave their “illegal” apartments, cover-up engenders false rumours motorists who would have a quicker journey using the literally, in some cases, thrown out and fuels conspiracy theories. The other tunnels use them. into the cold, stoking more public media should be an ally, not an At some point, this has to change. The whole tunnel anger. Again, social media, includ- adversary, in the government’s system will be overloaded by 2021 unless the pricing ing WeChat, was cleansed of critical quest for public trust. structure changes. comments. The sense was that the This need not mean adapting The Transport Department’s toll rationalisation local government was taking the Western media model. China study is impressively detailed and examines traffic advantage of the fire by doing what needs to find its own media model flows and pricing at all six cross-harbour and Kowloon it wanted to do anyway: reduce the for its own stage of development – tunnels. Not surprisingly, it calls for changes in the number of migrant workers living in which should encourage, in cases tolls. The report goes over assorted options – some of Beijing to create a beautiful Beijing bad things he did only aroused truth is worse. Recall the 2003 severe bourgeoisie”, which catalysed like child abuse or tenement fires, which have been proposed in the past. These include a of the future. people’s dislike of him. The Chinese acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) severe, widespread and prolonged truth to be told. variety of combinations of decreasing and increasing Even the Chinese state media scholars draw the analogy: “When a epidemic. When the government chaos and destruction during the I can appreciate the opposite different tunnels’ tolls. They also include ideas like full criticised the local government, say- government department or an tried to hide the actual facts to avoid political mass movements in the view. China’s leaders want the best ing more “warmth” was needed in organisation loses its credibility, panic, the cover-up engendered 1950s and 1960s, especially the for the Chinese people, of that I am moving migrant workers. Sensitiv- whether it tells truth or lies, does wild rumours that were far worse sure, and there can be a perceived ities are so high that the Chinese good or bad, the public believes than the actual facts. People tension between, on the one hand, media can no longer use the pejora- them to be lies and bad.” believed the wild rumours, causing reporting bad news that could upset Logically, the links with the tive phrase “low-end population”. It may surprise Westerners that greater panic. Only when the truth the public, and, on the other hand, Some Chinese scholars warn these two isolated incidents can was told did the public relax. It was a The media should restricting the reporting that could highest demand should have that the government is at risk of fall- trigger such heated emotions, even good lesson. erode public trust. Given China’s ing into the so-called “Tacitus trap”. vitriol, towards the government. How to improve public trust? be an ally, not social disparities and stage of higher tolls ... Instead, the The Roman historian Tacitus had After all, such tragic or scandalous The party, I believe, has taken a development, such decisions are most popular are cheapest observed that once a ruler became events are not uncommon in all decisive step by redefining the prin- an adversary, in challenging. an object of hatred, the good and countries. Why then have these cipal contradiction in society. the government’s When Xi first announced the caused such a stir in China, whereas “Contradiction” is a Marxist new principal contradiction, some electronic toll payment and even waiving all tolls. The in the US, for example, public inter- term describing a kind of political quest for dismissed it as arcane party-speak. situation is complicated by the ownership structure of est would barely budge? analysis – “dialectical materialism” Public reaction to the child abuse the tunnels. However, the report assumes that public At the risk of oversimplifying, I – which identifies “dynamic oppos- public trust and to the fire, albeit “minor” inci- subsidy of a franchisee would be feasible in principle. People in China suggest two interlocking reasons. ing forces” in society, and seeks to dents among many, reveal its pre- The recommendation is that tolls be adjusted so First, people in China have unrealis- resolve tensions by applying ruinous Cultural Revolution. Now, scient and perspicacious wisdom. private cars and taxis have a greater incentive to use the have unrealistic tic expectations that the govern- “correct” political theories. even as China achieves its goal of less-crowded tunnels. This is about changing the ment can do everything, and In Deng Xiaoping’s era, the prin- becoming a moderately prosperous Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a public relative charges – so, in theory, it could mean toll expectations second, they believe that the media cipal contradiction was “the ever- society, fulfilling basic needs intellectual, political/economics reductions rather than just increases. The key would be that the reports only that which the govern- growing material and cultural through economic growth, there is commentator, and an international having a situation where it is cheaper to use the less- ment approves. The result is that for needs of the people versus back- growing dissatisfaction with social corporate strategist. He is the host crowded options. government every problem, the government is ward social production” – a change conditions. Thus, in Xi’s “new era”, of Closer to China with R. L. Kuhn, The report mentions some other possibilities, such blamed, and no matter what the most welcome from the prior con- the principal contradiction is “be- a weekly show on CGTN, and the as peak charging for rush hours, or different charges on can do everything media says, people assume the tradiction of “proletariat versus tween unbalanced and inadequate author of How China’s Leaders Think Sundays. But the core guideline is to match toll adjustments with objective measurements, like journey times. The ideas still require consultation and legislative action. The big question is: will politicians and the public Guard diversity in education accept them? Interest groups will create a huge fuss. Hong Kong should waive the However, the proposals will not affect tolls for buses or minibuses, or for vehicles transporting goods. Most of Ho Lok Sang says a coming decline in student the travelling public will benefit from less congestion, debt of disqualified lawmakers even if certain interest groups oppose the changes. numbers in Hong Kong may kill off private tertiary Judging by past attempts to sort out this problem, it will institutions unable to vie with state-funded ones fail. Yet it can’t, because these key routes will otherwise face gridlock at some point. The tunnels are not the Grenville Cross says the practice in Australia of valuable guidance for the Legco only choke points. They feed into areas where the commission, which should now he rapid expansion in Hong similar programmes, there should roads and intersections approach full capacity. Road not pursuing the debt of ejected parliamentarians reconsider its demands in light of it. Kong of degree placements be quotas. The winner-takes-all network expansion, like the opening of the Central- – provided they have discharged their duties ‘in This, after all, was not a case in Tby self-financing institutions problem will become more acute Wan Chai bypass in about a year’s time, can ease which someone tricked their way and self-financing arms of in the next few years, as the congestion in specific areas. So the traffic moves more good faith’ – offers Hong Kong a way forward into Legco, as happened in 1985, subsidised institutions has led to number of secondary education quickly through that area – but where does it end up? when Tai Chin-wah, having falsely notable “achievements”, graduates dwindles, leaving too Look around most of our inner urban areas, and represented himself to be a according to the government. One few candidates to sustain all the you will see more office, hotel and residential towers lthough the president of constitutional reasons unrelated to solicitor, was elected to the document says: “There are now current suppliers. going up, replacing the smaller developments that Hong Kong’s legislature, citizenship – found that Senator chamber. He was unmasked six about 150 and 300 self-financing One may say: why not let were there previously. Each bigger tower means more AAndrew Leung Kwan-yuen, Bob Day had not been validly years later. post-secondary programmes at competition eliminate those that cars, more trucks and more pedestrians. Yet, in most says the Legislative Council elected in 2016. Although the There can be no possible undergraduate level and sub- cannot compete? This is based on cases, the road and pavement space for the vehicles Commission acted on legal advice question of repayment arose, the objection to the commission degree level … vis-à-vis around 40 the assumptions that the and people is fixed. This is not sustainable. The good in seeking the full repayment of responsible minister, Scott Ryan, enforcing repayment of the debts and 230 such programmes competition is fair and having far news is that, even at peak times, our traffic mostly still salaries and allowances from four said it would be unfair of the owed by Sixtus and respectively in 2005-06”. fewer players is desirable. Both are flows (provided there isn’t an accident or some other disqualified lawmakers, the advice government to pursue the debt, Yau, whose abusive conduct But there is an excessive misplaced. blockage). Unlike some Southeast Asian cities, we have has been queried in some quarters. given that Day had discharged his violated basic norms. Their four orientation towards academic Both the VTC and University time to start managing traffic volume. The fact remains that the senatorial duties “in good faith”. colleagues, however, were not in degrees and inadequate attention Grants Committee-funded The response to the Transport Department’s disqualification of In Australia, the convention is to that category, as the Legco placed on vocational development. universities are government proposals will show whether we as a community can Kwun-chung, Leung Kwok-hung, waive such debt. Ousted president himself accepted. Even the Vocational Training funded to perform designated face the challenge and do it. Lau Siu-lai and Chung- parliamentarians are given two Ejection from Legco is itself a severe Council (VTC) is increasing its functions, but have ventured into yim meant that their original options: pay up or apply for a sanction, and basic fairness emphasis on degree programmes. areas beyond their original Bernard Chan is convenor of Hong Kong’s Executive Council election was void. As such, they waiver from the government. requires the waiver of the debts. A healthy tertiary education missions and enjoy significant were disentitled to the sums paid, Provided there is no evidence of If, however, this does not sector should offer diversity, advantages. The competition for and the commission is within its bad faith, the application of a happen, it is fanciful for people to innovative pedagogy, plus strong survival could eliminate worthy rights in seeking their return, waiver will normally be granted. suggest that Legco proceedings in links to industry and other sectors players offering unique however imprudent that course In Hong Kong, the four which the four participated should of society. The council is a massive programmes. They could fail not may be. lawmakers seemingly acted in good be retroactively undone. Even if organisation, and by offering because their programmes are not But this is not its only course. In faith in the Legislative Council after feasible, this would produce chaos. degree programmes, it threatens good enough, but because of the October, several lawmakers in they were sworn in. Although they In 1907, the Australian High the existence of courses run by psychology to opt for stronger Australia, including deputy prime took their oaths in an irregular Court resolved this very issue when private institutions without market players. minister Barnaby Joyce, also lost fashion, with two being required to it ruled that votes on legislation government funding. Even if eliminating some their seats. The Australian High retake them, they were all remain valid, even if a If diversity is to prevail, we need players is necessary, without a Court decided they were ineligible nonetheless ultimately seated. By parliamentarian is subsequently a policy to ensure a level playing policy mitigating the winner-takes- because they were dual nationals, contrast, the extreme antics of two deemed to have been invalidly field. VTC-run degree programmes all tendency, there will be too few which is constitutionally other lawmakers, Sixtus Baggio elected, and this remains good law. enjoy an unfair advantage, and players. We would lose the diversity prohibited. As the ejected Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai- As the judgment put it, “the government-funded institutions driving innovation and offering lawmakers had already taken part ching, at their oath-taking resulted proceedings of the Senate as a enjoy an unfair advantage due to students more choice in terms of in proceedings for over a year, the in them being excluded altogether. House of Parliament are not branding and better infrastructure programme design, pedagogy, repayment of salaries and The four seated legislators invalidated by the presence of a like libraries and IT facilities. If they location of classes, institutional entitlements would, if enforced, be would have assumed that they had senator without title”. run certain programmes, it would culture and connectivity. a significant burden for them. been accepted as Legco members. make sense to focus on niche areas A similar situation also arose in In these circumstances, the Grenville Cross SC is a criminal justice that don’t overlap with those run Ho Lok Sang is dean of business at April, when the High Court – for Australian approach provides analyst by private institutions. If they run Chu Hai College of Higher Education

> CONTACT US: Agree or disagree with the opinions on this page? Write to us at [email protected]. If you have an idea for an opinion article, email it to [email protected] A view of Eastern Harbour Tunnel at Lam Tin. Traffic problems are made worse by pricing. Photo: Dickson Lee