Former Chief Executive CY Leung on Sunday said there's a need to make patriotic groups stronger in universities and the media.

He said even though Hong Kong now has the national security law and an improved electoral system, patriots can't simply think that their job is done.

During an online forum on national security and university governance, Leung said stronger groups are needed to instil patriotism among young people.

"We have to build up the ideological and organising powers of patriotic groups, those who govern have to break barriers with these groups, make them stronger. This includes the grooming of such groups in universities," said Leung, who's now a vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

"In education, in media, we have to raise the ability of patriotic groups in these important aspects in society. Of course, we also need to form a consensus and widely promote the One Country, Two Systems principle."

Leung said it's a basic requirement that Hong Kong students become proud Chinese patriots.

He flagged up that during a football World Cup qualifying group match between China and Hong Kong in 2015, some SAR students booed the national anthem while watching a live broadcast at Chinese University.

Leung said he met the university's management over the matter, but nothing was done.