FADE IN.
Act 1
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Phone in hand, PETER reads something on the screen.
PETER (V.O.): A Quoran is asking a matter that I've long forgotten. It's about BNO ie British Nationals (Overseas). He isn't pleased that the BNO citizenship can't be inherited by descent.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): He has a root problem. He wants to maintain his and his descendents' link with UK for an indefinite time. Doesn't he realise that he has been disowned by his former colonial power as he just got a BNO status?
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I worked for the British Hong Kong colonial government until June 30, 1997. I won a colonial government's scholarship that paved my way to become a legal professional.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Later, I even got UK Foreign Office's scholarship to study in London. The scholarship goal was to groom me to play an influential role in Hong Kong, particularly in the field of intellectual property,
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.): Although I chose to study Sea, Air & Space Laws instead, I didn't forget the Scholarship's goal.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let me reply to the Quoran that I found my BNO passport worthless even for travel purposes, I renounced my BNO citizenship in 2004.
Peter begins to type on his phone.
Act 2
INT. STUDY - DAY
Peter checks phone notifications, including some video clips. We see on screen that a victim was being aggressively and violently assaulted by a young chap; and then another victim by other young chaps.
PETER (V.O.): OMG, these're crime-scene documentary evidence.
Peter sighs.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): These criminals must be brought to justice, the faster the better!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): They must be very angry and frightful of the imminent Mainland China's enactment of national security laws for Hong Kong.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Which country hasn't got national security laws? The US have them. The UK have them. The Hong Kong SAR is constitutionally bound to enact them under Article 23 of its Basic Law, but the government hasn't been effective and efficient enough to fulfill its legal obligation.
The TV is broadcasting stories about unrest in Hong Kong. We hear: a very controversial national security law...bypassing the Hong Kong legislature...suppressing Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement...
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): "Very controversial" - that's the media's narrative.
Picking up a copy of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR, Peter reads.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Article 18 provides that the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (SCNPC) may add to the list of laws in Annex III...In the event that SCNPC decides by reason of turmoil within the Hong Kong SAR which endangers national unity or security or is beyond the control of the government, the Central People's Government may issue an order applying the relevant national laws in the Hong Kong SAR.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR was promulgated on April 4, 1990.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): For over 30 years, UK or the international community didn't say Article 18 is inconsistent with the Sino-British Joint Declaration or suppressing any human rights in the Hong Kong SAR post June 30, 1997.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There're some British and others who still want to exploit Hong Kong as a former British colony. And there're also some hypocrites, traitors and stupid people from within Hong Kong, who waste no time and effort, including aggression and violence against those who are smarter than them.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What's the psychology behind violence?
Surfing the web, Peter finds something.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Here's a study of psychopaths and whether aggression and violence are treatable like an addition.
Peter studies the small prints.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Aggression and violence are thought to be driven by negative emotions such as anger and fear.
Peter reads further and then raises an eyebrow.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Psychopaths can derive pleasure in their aggressive and violent behaviours ie their feeling of power and dominance.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): So when psychopaths feel bad, they resort to behaviours that make them happy.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's why that young psychopath kept on assaulting the victim who didn't fight back.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Like the coronaviruses, they must be contained and all sectors must help mitigate the damages they've caused.
Act 3
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Peter checks new phone notifications.
PETER (V.O.): That Quoran who wants his descendents to inherit his BNO status came back to me with a follow-up question. He was curious why I renounced my BNO status. Let me elaborate.
Peter types on his phone.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): On the moral side, Hong Kong had been exploited by the British before 1997, I found it shameful not to sever my notional link with Britain when I had a choice to do so.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That Quoran must still be nostalgic about his good old days when his country was ruled by the British. Even if he wanted to enslave himself by associating with Britain, enough is enough. The Brits were kind enough to make the decision for him!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While I was with the British colonial Hong Kong government, I worked very hard to help build Hong Kong's infrastructure, from Basic Law to Intellectual Property. I lived up to the Scholarship expectations.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But I don't look like British at all. I studied history and knew my root. I understood it was a great Chinese shame that Hong Kong was ceded to Britain by force and was ruled by the British.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If UK was minded to let Hong Kong become independent, it would have done so in the 1960s. Then, the Brits wanted to exploit Hong Kong more.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Even now, some Brits and others still don't want to let go of Hong Kong. That is the root of the current Hong Kong problem.
Peter begins to work behind his computer.
FADE OUT.
THE END
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