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KINGSPARK NEWS Club Number: 30119 2006-07 Rotary Year : Issue 12 : 17 December | ||
| This
is the biweekly bulletin of the Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong Club Website: http://www.rotary3450.org/kingspark-hongkong | ||
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| Chief
Editor : Francis Wann Club Webmaster : John Wan | ||
| Editorial
(Many
Happy Returns) - By Francis Wann | ||
| District Website | RI Website | RI President | TRF | News Room | Global History Fellowship | ||
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Many Happy Returns Last Sunday's election will leave its mark in Hong Kong history. Civic Party legislator Alan Leong is now on course and ready to challenge incumbent Donald Tsang as a potential candidate for the next chief executive. The election results should have sent a clear message to Beijing and the chief executive himself. Despite its WTO membership, despite the bullish H-shares, despite Margaret Chan's WHO post, despite CEPA, despite the "Golden Week" sagas, and despite the rising RMB, there's still much to be desired. Just look at the case of Straits Times journalist Ching Cheong, or the waves of corrupt senior officials. You'd realise why so many people are worried about the judicial system in China. Many still don't understand the function of the election committee, and many don't care either. There are of course those, like "Long Hair" Mr Leung Kwok-hung, who are opposed to this concept of "small circle" election and have made a mockery out of it. They certainly have very valid points. Whatever China has given us, it hasn't given us universal suffrage. Emily Lau of the Frontline has argued that Hong Kong is ready for more democracy, and is ready for universal suffrage any time, but Beijing maintains the view that we proceed with caution, and that universal suffrage might not be an answer. Other democrats might have different visions on timing and process, but the demand for democracy is most obvious. As contender Alan Leong begins his political roadshow immediately after the election, we are likely to see some interesting political dramas in the next few months. Now that the qualifying round has been won and the parties are over, he should go back to the drawing board and map out his next strategies, knowing very well that his every move would be closely watched by the media - and Beijing. What should he do? How does he read people's minds? Will he be another lonely salesman? How does he set his priorities? These and other questions should not be unfamiliar to both him and Donald Tsang, and there are no easy answers. And if Alan Leong wants to be his own master, perhaps he'd better follow the Rotary motto - Service Above Self. We are sure there's so much in the spirit of Rotary which can inspire him. It's not rocket science, and it's just that Rotarians have always wanted to make the world better, a world without deprivation, and without prejudice. And if you Mr Leong ever find it difficult to make a decision, why not try Rotary's four-way test? The answer is there. Politics, after all, is a game. Many Happy Returns. | ||
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From
the Webmaster
The Second Reading this week is taken from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. It is a continuation of the Second Reading last Sunday which was taken from the same epistle. The Christian community at Philippi dates from about 50 AD, when Paul, apparently in the company of gosepel writer Luke, visited the city of his second missionary journey. Paul founded a church there and was very fond of the Philippians, treating them as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, or very close friends. Paul wrote his letters in prison where he was awaiting trial, very likely with a rather unfavourable outcome. Despite his predicaments and conditions, he expresses in his letters, his deep affection for the Philippians, and thanks them warmly for the donations they have sent him. He urges them to be faithful to their vocation, and to maintain their unity of belief. He shows them how to pray. Paul says that when one prays, one should be thankful to God; one should be rejoicing; one should pray for others rather than for oneself; and one should have others in mind. It is easy to be thankful and peaceful when everything is like roses - when your profits are up, when your sons and daughters are doing well and kind and respectful to you, when those dear to you are around, and so on. Think of Paul in prison, and it takes a man, more specifically, a man with conviction and a man with love in the heart to behave as such and to preach to others to follow the same. Paul is full of love because he loves the people to whom he was writing and for whom he was praying; and all his prayers have only one objective - to glorify his God. In today's letter, Paul says to his brothers whom he "so love and long for" and who are his joy and crown, and his dear ones, "Rejoice in the Lord always! I say it again. Rejoice! Everyone should see how unselfish you are. The Lord is near. Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petition full of gratitude." Joy should be a basic mood of one who believes. It would therefore be a contradiction in terms and an oxymoron to speak of a sad Christian, for a Christian should always be joyous and rejoicing. It follows that a Rotarian should never feel it a burden in carrying out service or fulfilling his or her responsibilities as a member. First, it is voluntary work, it is work taken up by choice, it is work he or she has taken up because of the conviction that the work would benfit others who need the service thereby meeting the objects of Rotary, and more fundamentally, it is because of the love in the heart, the love for others, the love for the world, the love for humanity. This is the last issue of Kingspark News for the year that will be ending in two weeks. Next issue will or should appear in 2007. I wish all members and readers a Happy Christmas and a joyous holiday seasons ahead. May you feel the joy of Advent and Christmas, and share your joy with those dear and near to you. | ||
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Views in any article in Kingspark News reflect those of the authors. They are not necessarily the views of the Rotary Club of Kingspark or of District 3450. You are welcome to write to Chief Editor Francis Wann or Club Webmaster John Wan on any topic, particularly in response to articles published in Kingspark News. We would publish all contributions as long as the authors identify themselves, the contents are not offensive or abusive, and would not offend common decency or common sense. You need not be a Rotarian to write to us and you have a choice to withhold your name in the published version. Where the contents make reference to statements or policies of individuals or organizations, we would try to obtain a response from the latter for publication in the same issue if possible. | ||
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Chief
Editor : Francis Wann The Board of Directors President
: Patrick Wong | ||
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