Hong Kongs younger generation pushing for change

By Polly Hui, in Hong Kong for AFP Published: 10:45AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

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Protestors cheering slogans outward the legislative legal body construction in Hong Kong during a proof opposite a railway project. Photo: AFP/Ed Jones

The plan set off a call of protests by a organisation well known as the "Post 80s" era who are aggressively campaigning for reforms and a larger contend in how Hong Kong is run, unnerving the authorities in the money-hungry city.

"We wish changes now. We are not going to lay and wait for any more," pronounced Chan King-fai, a personality of the new domestic movement.

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The intensity shift of the "Post 80s" transformation was highlighted last month when hundreds of protestors staged days of demonstrations opposite the multi-billion-dollar Hong Kong couple for China"s rail network.

The organisation complained that the open had not been scrupulously consulted about the plan and that the legislative council, with usually half the 60 members being without delay elected, did not paint the people"s voice.

"Time and again, the supervision finished decisions that catered usually to the interests of large commercial operation groups," pronounced Chan.

The supervision says the plan - piece of the 13,000 kilometres (8,000 miles) of high-speed lines China dictated to supplement to the existent rail network by 2012 - would progress the internal economy by drastically slicing transport time in between Hong Kong and alternative vital Chinese cities.

But campaigners contend this would be finished at the cost of the provision of hundreds of villagers who live along the due rail line, as most of them would be forced to immigrate to civic areas.

When the legal body authorized the $8.6 billion Hong Kong line in January, some-more than 1,000 protesters staged a deadlock with hundreds of military in a bid to force a proceed quarrel with officials.

Chan says the idealisation idea of his organisation is to concede each adult in Hong Kong to have a contend in how the city should be run.

But the climb of the "Post 80s" - referring to people innate after 1980 - has disturbed and undetermined the authorities.

"The executive supervision is really concerned to assimilate this materialisation and to get to know the proceed of meditative of the group," pronounced Sung Lap-kung, a domestic researcher from City University of Hong Kong.

"Through proceed or surreptitious means, Hong Kong officials have been perplexing to proceed the leaders."

Some critics have dubbed the immature activists the "four antis" Anti-authority; anti-government; anti-establishment; anti-tradition.

In his blog, Hong Kong"s monetary cabinet member John Tsang famously discharged the organisation as people who cared some-more about carrying a swimming pool in their bar residence than the city"s future.

Chan, a 27-year-old columnist and teacher, pronounced outsiders should not make use of an old mindset to appreciate the group"s actions.

"We reach out to the immature supporters by the internet. Our striking designs and song interest to them since we share identical experience as members of the same generation," he said.

"For example, in my parents" generation, selling malls symbolised modernisation. But in the generation, they usually mount for routine and a marketplace monopolised by developers."

Before the rail protest, the organisation had organized not as big campaigns to try to retard supervision plans to explode most of the city"s old neighbourhoods.

While acknowledging efforts by Hong Kong"s pro-democracy domestic parties to pull for reforms, the "Post 80s" organisation feel the city needs a some-more assertive antithesis transformation to force change.

They voice disappointment that most democrats are receiving an increasingly "moderate and accommodating" position on domestic reforms, retreating from their strange direct for concept voting for Hong Kong by 2012.

The Chinese supervision has indicated that concept voting could usually be introduced to Hong Kong in 2017-20.

"With Beijing, you can"t only keep subsidy down," pronounced Christina Chan, an additional deputy of the group. "If you keep asking for less, they will only keep giving you even less."

The 22-year-old university tyro pronounced that most politicians focused some-more on securing votes than portion the community.

Sung pronounced it was formidable to envision how the organisation would evolve.

"The stroke of the "Post 80s" stays to be seen. The engaging thing is that distinct the normal domestic party, they hatred to hang together as a organisation on a long-term basis.

"They come together when they brand a means to quarrel for and once that is achieved, they disappear."

Chan King-fai conceded that his organisation is experimenting. "But we are sure about one thing - we wish to shift the standing quo. And to that end, we will persist."