EVERY once in a while we humans have to ask ourselves important philosophical questions. One that was troubling Lai See yesterday was this. Would we cosh a Japanese gentleman on the head for US$30 million? Reader Ron McMillan rang us to pass on a public conversation in Hongkong Bank between a Japanese gentleman and a throng of bank staffers. He swears it is true.
It should be pointed out that the gentleman was talking in US dollars.
Staffer: 'So, you want to put $9 million into an account?' Japanese man: 'Hai!' Staffer: 'And then put $21 million in another account?' JM: 'Hai!' At this point there is a pause.
Staffer: 'In cash?' JM: 'Cash.' Staffer: 'When will you deposit the funds?' JM: '3 o'clock. I come back with suitcase.' So there you have it. The easiest robbery of all time given to us on a plate, leaving Lai See debating whether to switch off the computer, say his farewells, beetle off to the bank at 3 pm and start coshing.
Of course, Lai See didn't do it - we got someone to do it for us - but what does this say about Hongkong Bank's security measures? Is it really standard practice to debate US$30 million deposits in public? A final word of advice to the Japanese gentleman: Wise up.
Numbers rise CHINA is getting more boring. Or at least it is getting more accountants, which is the same thing.