What the local media says

Sunday, Apple Daily

Central Policy Unit to let some consultants go

The Central Policy Unit, which is under Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's command, is expected to halve the number of part-time consultants to about 20. Sources said that most of the part-timers to be removed would be tycoons' heirs from the camp of former financial secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen. One of them is said to be Brian Li Man-bun, the second son of David Li Kwok-po, the chairman of the Bank of East Asia. Full-time consultant Wong Chack-kie said on television that he knew some of the heirs were admitted to the official think tank principally because of their social ties.

Monday, Oriental Daily

Corpses on the floor again during Lunar New Year

Three popular mortuaries are running out of space for bodies: Victoria Public Mortuary in Western District; Fu Shan Public Mortuary in Sha Tin; and Kwai Chung Public Mortuary in Kwai Chung. Things are expected to worsen during the Lunar New Year as no funeral services are to be held at that time, according to traditional Chinese customs. Bodies delivered for storage at those mortuaries over that period might be left on the floor, as was done during the 2007 Lunar New Year. The Department of Health said it might reopen the Kowloon Public Mortuary in Hung Hom temporarily to avert a crisis.

Tuesday, Sing Tao Daily

Relics storage block planned at Tin Shui Wai

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department is planning to build Hong Kong's first central relics storage tower near the Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai, Yuen Long, to cope with a shortage of storage space for cultural relics. The department now has 14 museums housing more than 200,000 relics. The new tower will be 10 storeys high, providing a gross floor area of some 18,700 square metres. One floor measuring 2,000 square metres will be used for public exhibitions.

Wednesday, Apple Daily

Twin mini monkeys born at Ocean Park

A pair of pygmy marmosets has been born in the Rainforest zone of Ocean Park, which is home to 70 kinds of animals typically found in tropical rainforests. The twin babies are named Phoebe and Phoenix and will fit in the palm of a person's hand when fully grown. They will be raised by their father.

Thursday, Oriental Daily

Smugglers hire people to dig border tunnel

Four mainlanders, aged between 18 and 36, were arrested at an abandoned farm in Lin Ma Hang, Fanling, while digging a tunnel believed to be meant for smuggling goods to Shenzhen. The men all held two-way permits. Officers also seized digging machinery worth about HK$10 million. Police said the tunnel was to reach the bank of a river where smugglers would take the goods, cross the river and enter Shenzhen through its underground drainage system.

Friday, Apple Daily

Government pamphlet may have violated cartoon copyright

The Information Services Department may have infringed the copyright of a cartoon character in a pamphlet introduced in July 2011. The pamphlet, which promotes Hong Kong as an international city, features a picture of Chocolate Rain, a bob-haired cartoon girl created in 2001 by local fashion and accessories designer Prudence Mak Ngar-tuen. Mak said the government had not informed her of its use of the cartoon. She said: "The pamphlet does not mention the source of the character."

Compiled by Wayne Chung and Nelson Cheng