behave with decorum.

2016/12/08 08:41:30 網誌分類: 生活

08 Dec

        　　When I worked as a reporter in Washington DC and London, I always wore a tie and jacket when I went to the US Congress and the British Parliament. Members of Parliament (MPs for short) in Britain and Congressmen in the US wore ties and jackets when they attended meetings. They behaved with decorum. The word “decorum” means behaviour that is polite and respectful. Exclusive clubs in Hong Kong, such as the Hong Kong Club in Central, require members and guests to wear proper clothes and behave with decorum.

         The word “exclusive” can be used in several ways but used this way it means available only to a small number of people. The Hong Kong Club is an exclusive club because not everybody can join. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council also has rules of?decorum?but many members ignore these rules. The rule about the behaviour of members during meetings makes clear that members must wear acceptable clothes and behave with?decorum?when they enter and leave the?chamber?(large room where MPs, Congressmen, and other legislators hold meetings). The rule makes clear that when a member is speaking, other members should not speak or interrupt. But we have all seen on TV that many Legco members ignore these rules of?decorum.

         Some members wear shorts and T-shirts to attend meetings. Many interrupt when others are speaking. Some even shout at the Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen. Members are supposed to stand up when the Legco president enters the?chamber. Members who leave the?chamber?during meetings should bow their heads a little. But many in the opposition refuse to stand up when Leung Kwan-yuen enters the?chamber. They do not bow their heads when they leave. MPs in Britain always call the head of Parliament Mr Speaker. It is the same in the US. Legco members are supposed to call Leung Kwan-yuen “chairman” in Chinese. But some opposition members refuse to do this. They fail to understand that even if they don’t respect him, they should respect the position he holds. Calling him “chairman” is respect for the position he holds, not necessarily him as a person.

        ***

        　　我曾在華盛頓和英國當記者，去美國國會或是英國國會時，總是穿西裝和打呔。英美的國會議員出席會議時，同樣都會穿西裝打呔。他們端莊有禮（decorum）。Decorum 就是指莊重和有禮的行徑。香港有些專有（exclusive）會所，例如中環的香港會，都會要求會員和貴賓穿着整齊衣服，舉止須端莊（decorum）。

        　　Exclusive 可以有幾個用法，但在這裡的意思是只限於一小撮的人。香港會是個專有（exclusive）會所，因為並非人人可以加入。香港立法會也有關於禮儀（decorum）的規定，但許多議員都置之不理。有關議員在會議期間行為舉止，規則講明議員進出議事廳（chamber）時，必須穿著合宜的衣服，言行舉止莊重有禮（decorum）。規則也列明，當一個議員發言時，其他的議員不應說話或插嘴。但我們在電視上都能見到，許多立法會議員忽視這些禮儀（decorum）的規則。

        　　有些議員穿着T恤短褲出席會議，許多人也在別人發言時插嘴。有些甚至喝罵立法會主席梁君彥。當立法會主席進入議事廳（chamber）時，議員理應站立。議員在會議期間離開議事廳（chamber），亦應稍為點頭。但梁君彥進入議事廳（chamber）時，許多反對派拒絕站立，離開時也不點頭。英國的國會議員會稱呼國會主席為議長先生，美國亦如是。立法會議員應叫梁君彥做「主席」，但有些反對派的議員拒絕這樣稱呼他。他們不能明白，即使他們不尊重他，他們也應尊重他所擔任的職位。稱呼他為「主席」，是尊重其位，而不必然是尊重他這個人。mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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