Hong Kong's religious harmony is best maintained through trust
letters@scmp.com or filling in
this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification
I am writing in response to
the letter , 'Hong Kong welcomes Muslims, but let's safeguard against extremism' (April 30).
Hong Kong's efforts to foster inclusivity for Muslims while safeguarding social harmony are commendable and reflect the city's commitment to diversity. However, the suggestion that extremism is a significant concern with regard to Hong Kong's Muslim community lacks empirical support and risks perpetuating unnecessary stereotypes.
Hong Kong's Muslim population, estimated at around 300,000, including both permanent residents and migrant workers, has historically been peaceful and law-abiding.
The government's security reports do not identify the local Muslim community as a source of extremism. While vigilance against radicalisation is prudent worldwide, framing inclusivity efforts with undue caution may inadvertently stigmatise a minority that contributes positively to Hong Kong's economy and culture.
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10 Years of HKFP: 8 new benefits for monthly donors – join today as an HKFP Member
A decade in, Hong Kong Free Press is launching eight new benefits for our HK$150+ monthly donors, now known as HKFP members. 🚨 Funding alert: Facing a fourth year of deficit, HKFP needs to add 500 new members to sustain our current output. Existing supporter? Please click here to activate your new account & ensure benefits. Donors of HK$150/month or more are eligible for HKFP Member benefits: 1. Exclusive HKFP deer keyring or tote. Our mascot derives from the Chinese expression 'to point at a deer and call it a horse' – which refers to being deceptive for ill gain. HKFP will always call a deer a deer, and now you can own an exclusive HKFP deer keyring – designed from scratch by HKFP. Alternatively, opt for heavy duty HKFP tote bag. (Apologies, no US shipping). 2. Exclusive columns by Tim Hamlett. HKFP's Tim Hamlett is penning extra columns exclusively for HKFP members. Sign up to receive sharp analysis on local affairs via email. 3. Previews of HKFP original reporting. Receive regular previews of our exclusive features, interviews and explainers via email, a day before they arrive on our website. 4. Merch drops and discounts. Exclusive access to merch store drops, and up to 15% off. 5. 'Behind the scenes' newsroom insights. How do we gather the news? What does a day look like at HKFP? Does HKFP self-censor? How to survive a chief executive press conference? Is press freedom dead, alive or on life support? To mark a decade of HKFP, our editor-in-chief will be sharing regular newsroom insights with members. 6. A chance to join monthly newsroom tours/Q&As. Join us for an after-hours peek of our mini-newsroom in Kennedy Town, then take part in a Q&A with HKFP's founder – ask us (almost!) anything. Regular events are first-come-first-served, offered to a dozen members at a time. 7. Early access to our Annual & Transparency Report. 94% of our income comes from donors, so HKFP Members are first in line to see our Annual Report and Transparency Report every January. They include an overview of our achievements each year, and full details of our income and spending. 8. Third-party banner ads disabled for all donors. Donors of any amount can will see all Google banner ads disabled across HKFP's main website. Non-profit, impartial, and governed by an Ethics Code – HKFP is run by journalists and is 100% independent. Our team relies on readers to power our newsroom and help safeguard press freedom. Our Transparency Report shows how we spend every cent. 8 More Ways to Support HKFP: Donate via Patreon. Support us with a one-off or regular contribution by signing up at: Patrons of over HK$150/month will enjoy HKFP Member benefits. Donate by cheque. One-off HK$ cheques save us on fees. Please make them payable to Hong Kong Free Press Limited. Please include your name and address for accounting purposes. And send to: Hong Kong Free Press, The Hive Kennedy Town, 6/F, Cheung Hing Industrial Building, 12P Smithfield Road, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong. [Please do not send cash.] Donate by Octopus. Scan our QR code in your Octopus app to make a one-off donation. Donate by HSBC PayMe. Scan our QR code in your HSBC PayMe app to make a one-off donation. Please include your name and email in the 'comment' field for accounting purposes. Donate coins via Coin Dragon. Do you have a big jar or bag of coins at home? Contribute leftover 10c, 20c, 50c, HK$1, HK$2 and HK$5 coins to HKFP at Coin Dragon machines across the city. Just select Hong Kong Free Press from the list of non-profits. Advertise with us, or sponsor a section. HKFP reaches a highly engaged audience across our website, eight different social platforms, a newsletter and our podcast. View our latest rate card for an overview of our impact, audience and partnership options. Spread the word. Help us grow – invite your friends to follow us on social media. We are on Facebook, Bluesky, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Threads. Or share this page on your profile or send it to friends. 25 Reasons to Support HKFP: 1. Fully independent – no billionaires, conglomerates or governments. HKFP is not owned by any billionaire tycoon or conglomerate, controlled or funded by any government, nor answerable to any shareholders. We are 100 per cent independent in terms of our structure, finances and editorial output. HKFP has never been beholden to powerful elites or funders. This means our reporting cannot be influenced by others, and that all decisions are made among the team in-house. Our independence is essential for maintaining the trust of our readers, and for holding those with power to account without interference. 2. Non-profit – answerable to Hongkongers, not shareholders. Our work has no commercial motive. 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Instead, around 1,000 monthly donors donate an average of HK$201 to help sustain our newsroom – the best situation for our press freedom. Just 0.3 per cent of regular readers are HKFP Members – consider joining us! 4. Hong Kong's most transparent news outlet. HKFP is the most transparent news outlet in Hong Kong, if not Asia. We are externally audited every year, and anyone can examine our income and spending since 2015 – the year of our inception. 5. Governed by a comprehensive Ethics Code. We publish our Policies, Ethics & Best Practices as part of HKFP's commitment to credible, ethical, and independent journalism. These ever-evolving policies underpin all of our reporting practices. They govern how we deal with certain topics, like elections; a host of issues like race, disability or hate speech; as well as how we use certain tools, like AI, or undercover reporting. They guide how we deal with accuracy, anonymity, complaints, sourcing and paid-for content, and include a staff code of conduct. The comprehensive code is backed by the Trust Project and Journalism Trust Initiative. 6. Efficiently run – we make every cent count. HKFP is run as efficiently and prudently as possible, in order to maximise the impact of our donors' generosity. We make savings by partnering with other media outlets, using free software/tools, and making full use of teamwork and automation. We do not employ marketing staff, donation managers, or social media editors – every employee is primarily a journalist. In light of a years-long deficit, in 2024-25, HKFP slashed costs by switching insurers and merch store suppliers, downgrading software packages, adjusting staff transport allowances, finding sponsors for key costs, moving to a smaller office and halting most advertising. We make every cent matter, and we disclose our spending annually. 7. 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Over the years, we have quadrupled our number of original features, interviews and explainers. With over 30,000 stories published, HKFP invests in original, award-winning reporting. 10. Resisting harassment, intimidation and government scrutiny. Hong Kong has seen journalists jailed, newsrooms raided, and media outlets disbanded as the city plummets in press freedom indices. HKFP has not been immune. We have seen cyberattacks, threats, visa trouble, intimidation, harassment, physical attacks, surveillance, censorship in China, false complaints, media bans, a columnist fleeing, government inspections, and more than our fair share of pepper spray and tear gas. Help protect what remains by supporting non-establishment media at this critical time. 11. Trusted reporting you won't find elsewhere. By definition, our trusted journalism may sometimes be unwelcome by those in power. 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The project is an ISO standard and an international mechanism rewarding ethical journalistic practices. The standard involved examining HKFP against 130 criteria, and was developed by a panel of 130 experts, including journalists, institutions, regulatory bodies, publishers, and new technology players. 15. 100% NewsGuard rating: Meeting all 9 credibility and transparency criteria. HKFP meets all nine of the NewsGuard initiative's credibility and transparency criteria. NewsGuard lists green or red credibility scores for over 6,000 news sites, with assessments carried out by humans, not algorithms. Our 100 per cent rating reflects that we avoid false content, publish information responsibility, correct errors, label opinion and ads, avoid deceptive headlines, disclose ownership, financing and conflicts, and provide biographical information on writers. 16. Media watchdog Ad Fontes Media rates HKFP highly, above SCMP. We have been rated by Ad Fontes Media experts as providing reliable, factual reporting from a politically neutral perspective. HKFP scored 43.20 in terms of reliability and news value, similar to NPR, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, and slightly above Sky News, The Economist and the local South China Morning Post. HKFP is among the most politically balanced news outlets in the world, according to the watchdog's rating. With a score of 0.24 – meaning 'middle' in terms of bias – HKFP is comparable to outlets such as Sky News. 17. Society of Publishers in Asia and Int'l Press Institute members. We are proud members of the International Press Institute, a 73-year-old global organisation dedicated to protecting press freedom and improving journalistic practice. HKFP is also part of the Society of Publishers in Asia, founded in 1982 to champion press freedom and promote excellence. 18. A clear corrections policy – with all errors fixed and logged. Our Corrections Policy ensures accuracy and accountability across HKFP's work, with the date, time and details of any correction appearing clearly at the bottom of articles. We also maintain a log of every correction made to ensure we are as transparent as possible. 19. HKFP sets standards in the workplace. We are signed up to Oxfam's Living Wage initiative to ensure fair pay for all staff, including interns. Our newsroom offers a wage in line with international news outlets, including a health care plan, mental health support and other benefits. In 2020, we enacted a Freelance Charter to set out fair terms and conditions for external contributors. 20. Our journalism has been cited worldwide. Our impact is not just measured through clicks – HKFP's journalism has been cited in countless news reports, as well as by NGOs and governments. Our reporting has been referenced by everyone from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, the BBC, The Guardian, Reuters and others. 21. We ensure diversity – in our newsroom and in our coverage. HKFP values inclusion and diversity – both in the newsroom and in our output – as part of our adherence to fair, balanced and accurate coverage. We amplify voices from underrepresented, underprivileged or marginalised groups, and our team seeks to balance opinions from different age groups, genders and ethnic backgrounds. As part of our Diversity Statement, we have no tolerance for discrimination, prejudice or bullying and encourage job applications from candidates from minority backgrounds. 22. Boots on the ground and here to stay. HKFP remains in Hong Kong as we can speak to Hongkongers, monitor the legislature, ask tough questions of officials, attend press events, and bear witness at court during key cases. For now, it is better to have boots on the ground than attempt to report on the city from afar. Whilst the press freedom situation may be more predictable abroad, we can ensure better accuracy and nuance by staying put and navigating the situation. 23. Safeguarding press freedom. In 2016, we helped to successfully lobby the government to recognise digital media and allow online journalists into press conferences. In 2021, we distributed a free, open-source fundraising platform for the industry. And in 2023, HKFP launched an anti-censorship version of our news app. Over the years, we have also launched Ombudsman complaints to protect journalists' access to press events, and co-signed several local and international statements to promote press freedom. 24. HKFP Members enjoy eight new benefits. Donate HK$150/month or more to unlock HKFP member benefits. Members receive an HKFP deer keyring or tote, exclusive Tim Hamlett columns, feature previews, 'behind the scenes' insights, early access to our Annual Report, ad-free browsing merch drops and discounts, and a chance to join regular HKFP tours/Q&As. 25. We accept most payment methods – it's easier than ever to donate. It couldn't be easier to support us – HKFP accepts Mastercard, Visa, Amex, JCB, UnionPay, PayMe, Octopus, FPS bank transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay and cheques. You can also donate cash at CoinDragon kiosks, back us with a Patreon membership, advertise with HKFP, provide donations-in-kind or just help us spread the word. Frequently Asked Questions: I am already a monthly donor or HKFP 'Patron' – can I access the new benefits? Yes. Our previous fundraising microsite has been retired, and your donor account has been migrated to HKFP's main website – click here to see how to access your new account. PayPal donors will need to cancel their monthly donation at and add a fresh account to their HKFP profile. Any donors of HK$150+ are entitled to the new benefits – if you would you like an HKFP deer plush keyring, or have any trouble, please just email us: How can I adjust, pause or cancel my monthly contribution? You may alter or and cancel your monthly contribution by signing in and adjusting your payment settings. Donors who used our old system to sign up before July 2025, please click here to see how to access your new account. If you have further enquiries, please email us – we usually respond within 24 hours on working days. Is my data safe? Will you share or sell donor information? Never. Your payment card details are stored securely on Stripe/PayPal servers. We do not sell, trade, or rent users' personal payment data to others. Read our full T&Cs and Privacy Policy here. Can I donate anonymously? No, as the law requires that we know who donates. Like any company, HKFP is legally obliged to keep records of income/spending for bookkeeping purposes – it also obliges us to keep records secure and private. Accounting records are overseen by our accountant and yearly auditors, and we respect the anti-money laundering ordinance so may request 'know your client' information from larger contributors. In the event of a tax inspection, we will obfuscate donor names. What is your return/refund policy on merchandise? If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, you can return the product within 30 days and get a full refund. Anything you return must be in the same condition you received it, unused and in the original packaging. Please keep any receipt. Online refunds may take up to two weeks. Read our full T&Cs and Privacy Policy here. Are donations tax deductible? Although HKFP is a non-profit, we are not tax exempt, as Hong Kong law does not allow media outlets to register for this status. Unfortunately, donations cannot be deducted from your tax bill. Can I donate over HK$50,000 per year? Yes. HK$50,000 is our limit for donations via our website. If you could like to support us with a larger sum, please contact us. We respect the anti-money laundering ordinance so may request 'know your client' information from larger contributors. HKFP also welcomes donations-in-kind, should you wish to support us indirectly in the long-term.
