Talking points: Should Siu Yau-wai, the boy who's been here illegally for nine years, be allowed to stay?
Hate it when you can't talk back? Well, you can with Young Post. Have your say and share with students around Hong Kong.
Ernest Leung Lok-hang, 15, La Salle College
I feel for this 12-year-old who has stayed in his home for nine years without any education. I support the courage he showed to turn himself in, and I'm against the radical protests towards the school.
However, we should remember the 73-year-old man who counterfeited documents to prove he was eligible to work as a security guard.
While we felt that it was not justifiable to punish him, the judge reluctantly ruled that he was guilty. So why in this instance do we consider our sympathy over the law?
If, out of sympathy for the boy, we allow him to stay, not only will the rule of law be sabotaged, but we will also create a bad precedent for more illegal immigrants to get citizenship in Hong Kong. The price to pay for such an action is simply unbearable.
Winnie Lee Wing-yee, 19, City University of Hong Kong
He should not be allowed to stay permanently as a local Hongkonger, but the Immigration Department should give him sufficient time to settle down on the mainland or elsewhere before deporting him. If he obtains the right of abode, there will be similar cases of abandoning kids in Hong Kong so they can get legitimate identification documents as well as enjoy local resources.
Beijing is responsible for providing Yau-wai with permanent social welfare, such as a safe place to live and caring services, but the Hong Kong government should help him get it.
Leuven Wang, 13, King George V
Anyone who has lived in Hong Kong for three-quarters of their life pretty much belongs in the city. The boy in question probably shares our language, customs and traditions. In addition, he hardly has any close relatives outside Hong Kong, so to leave him out on his own is irresponsible and immoral, as the government would be turning his life upside down.
Anushka Purohit, 15, Renaissance College Hong Kong
Yes, definitely! He's just 12 years old! It's wrong to completely change his life simply because his parents left him. It's clear that his grandmother made this decision just because she wanted him to have a normal life. Everyone deserves a second chance. He does too.
Joy Pamnani, 16, PLK Ngan Po Ling College
He should not be allowed to stay because it is against the law, and could trigger negative consequences.
One of the core values of Hong Kong is the rule of law and equality before the law, meaning everyone is treated the same regardless of age, gender, nationality, etc. The boy shouldn't be given preferential treatment on the basis of his being a child, or because he stays with his grandma, a senior citizen.
Letting the boy stay will prompt more mainland parents to send their kids here illegally, and the influx of mainlanders is bound to cause social discontent, especially with existing complaints about mainland students adding to the competition for local school places.
Tell us what you think in the comment box below.
You're welcome to join the conversation at www.www.scmp.com. In our next Talking Points, we'll discuss:
Do you think tonight's vigil commemorating June 4 will change Hongkongers' opinions on the political reform?
We are now accepting answers from readers for this new topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age and school name, plus a high-res photo of yourself (No less than 1MB), to [email protected] by Monday lunchtime next week.