又中又英｜Promising the moon

Promising the moon

Promises are often made to be broken in politics. It is common for politicians to promise the moon during an election to get votes. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are promising the moon on many hot-button issues to win voters ahead of the November 5 presidential election. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has promised to eradicate (get rid of) subdivided flats considered to be below standard and improve the quality of other subdivided flats. I hope he is not promising the moon. To promise the moon means to promise things that are difficult or impossible to achieve.

A hot-button issue is an issue that people consider very important and have strong opinions on. The chief executive announced in his annual policy speech last week the government will eradicate subdivided flats smaller than eight square metres (86 sq ft) and those without a window or toilet. The government will rename subdivided flats with improved standards as Basic Housing Units. Owners of such flats must register with the government. Hong Kong has about 110,000 subdivided flats. About 250,000 people live in these tiny homes. This gives Hong Kong a bad rap globally. A bad rap means a bad reputation.

The chief executive’s promise is a good first step, but further steps are needed. A subdivided flat of eight square metres is about the size of a Hong Kong prison cell. Many families live in these tiny places. Hong Kong should plan to completely eradicate subdivided flats. It is a developed and wealthy city. Its people deserve homes that don’t give the city a bad rap.

在政治里，很多时候承诺给许下来就是为了打破的。政客们在选举期间往往为了争取选票，而大开空头支票（promise the moon）。在十一月五日的总统大选前，副总统贺锦丽与前总统唐纳德‧特朗普在许多烫手的议题（hot-button issues）上都在开空头支票（promising the moon）。香港行政长官李家超，亦承诺会取缔（eradicate）那些被界定为低于标准的劏房，以及改善其他劏房的质素。我希望他不是大开空头支票（promising the moon）。To promise the moon是指去作出很困难或无法兑现的承诺。

A hot-button issue是人们认为很重要但很具争议性的敏感议题。特首在上星期的《施政报告》中宣告政府将会取缔（eradicate）面绩小于八平方米（八十六平方尺）及没有窗或厕所的劏房。政府将那些改善而符合标准的劏房更名为「简朴房」。这些单位的业主必须向政府登记。香港大约有十一万个劏房，大约二十五万人住在这些狭小的居所内。这让香港在国际上得了 bad rap——a bad rap就是坏名声、负面评价。

特首的承诺是好的第一步，但接下来需要实行更多的措施。八平方米的劏房就是大约一个香港监房的大小。许多家庭住在这些狭小的空间内。香港应该计划完全取缔（eradicate）劏房。它是一个已发展和富裕的城市，当中的人理应住在不会给城市带来坏名声（bad rap）的居所内。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻