Ann Chiang’s description of listening to pan-democrats’ opposition draws ire
LAI YING-KIT
YINGKIT.LAI@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 17 December, 2015, 10:25am
UPDATED : Thursday, 17 December, 2015, 10:25am
Chiang’s remarks came during a discussion of the copyright bill in Legco yesterday. Photo: Dickson Lee
A local professional body for training psychiatrists has condemned a lawmaker’s remarks which they said were discriminatory against mentally ill patients and psychiatrists.
Without naming Legislative Council member Ann Chiang, who spoke yesterday at the chamber, the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists said it regretted hearing an “untrue and derogatory” statement from a lawmaker about psychiatrists and patients with mental health problems.
During a Legco discussion of an amendment to the pending copyright bill, Chiang said many psychiatrists suffered from mental problems after listening excessively to their patients.
READ MORE: Hong Kong copyright bill explained: Why are people so concerned about this?
“Do you know who most suffer from mental problems? It’s psychiatrists, Mr President,” Chiang said. “Why? Because psychiatrists sit and listen too much to patients with mental problems. Listen and listen, they themselves become mental too,” she added.
The pro-Beijing lawmaker delivered the remarks when she urged Legco president Tsang Yok-sing to halt a filibuster attempt by pan-democrats. She said she had suffered from listening to too much “rubbish” coming from the pan-democrats.
The college said Chiang’s statement was unfounded and discriminatory towards both doctors and the city’s more than 200,000 mental health patients.
The group also said her remarks would deter many from receiving proper treatment.
“We express our strongest condemnation over this incident,” the college said.
“This sad event has no place in a civilised society and highlights the urgent need to tackle negative perceptions about mental illness and the professionals that work in the field.”
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1892301/hong-kong-psychiatrists-issue-strongest-condemnation-over
