Political Animal
Chief leaves media out in the cold
It's almost a fortnight since Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen last spoke to Hong Kong journalists. His last words came after a meeting with his Macau counterpart, Edmund Ho Hau-wah, when he confided laconically that he had relayed concerns about Hong Kong people being denied entry to the other special administrative region. Since then, Mr Tsang has shied away from the local press corps. News reports and footage of him leading photography buffs on a tour of Government House on Saturday were produced and distributed by the Information Services Department. There were also no media arrangements for his visit to Baptist University yesterday. According to the university, Mr Tsang told final-year students during a chat in a canteen to remain optimistic, draw on the 'never-say-die Baptist University spirit' and 'grab every job or study opportunity'. We're sure the media would grab any opportunity for a word with Mr Tsang.
Lawmaker unnerves travel council
It seems winning the tourism sector's Legislative Council seat last year has done little to ingratiate maverick lawyer Paul Tse Wai-chun with the travel trade. Invited to become one of the three observers at Travel Industry Council board meetings, Mr Tse snubbed the offer after he was asked to sign a confidentiality agreement preventing him from talking about the proceedings. The gag order was imposed after Mr Tse unnerved the board of directors by saying he wanted to supervise the work of the council as an observer. Relations between Mr Tse and the council have been testy since the lawyer accused council chairman Ronnie Ho Pak-ting of abusing his position and authority to canvass for votes for executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung in the Legco elections.
'Learner' runs into road troubles
Undersecretary for Transport and Housing Yau Shing-mu, filling in for his boss yesterday, had to handle two oral grillings in a row, both on transport issues, from lawmakers. Speaking from his script, Mr Yau passed the test of questions from Democrat Andrew Cheng Kar-foo, who chairs the transport panel. But when asked whether the department had considered installing timers for vehicles at traffic lights, Mr Yau, with no script to hand, looked confused and asked Mr Cheng to clarify. Mr Cheng said the issue had been discussed previously - before Mr Yau took up his post. In a response that could not be wrong, Mr Yau replied: 'I would consider the proposal.'
Is a hungry thief on the loose in Legco?
Is Legco becoming a crime scene? We're not talking about the antics of League of Social Democrats legislators in the chamber but incidents outside. After an alleged indecent assault involving a female reporter recently outside a conference room, a theft was reported yesterday when a photographer's HK$26 lunchbox vanished. Despite a helping hand from Legco secretary general Pauline Ng Man-wah, no trace was found, leaving open the prospect of a hungry thief stalking the corridors. The indecent-assault case, meanwhile, has been closed after the complainant was told police had given the suspect a verbal warning.
