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Many people thought that China had changed its attitude towards ousted legislator Christine Loh Kung-wai after Beijing gave the head of the Citizens Party permission to attend an international conference in the Chinese capital.

  But a commentary in the left-wing Wen Wei Po newspaper on August 26 appeared to suggest otherwise.

 The opinion piece - headlined, 'Does it mean independence to have Christine Loh as a programme presenter?' - blasted Radio Television Hong Kong for giving her a forum to propagate her party line.

  Describing Ms Loh as a 'heavyweight political star' the commentary alleged she was being given important access to the public by the station in the run-up to next year's elections.

  In the old days when Hong Kong was under British rule, this kind of strong commentary was common in Wen Wei Po. The opinion pages of the left-wing papers served as a convenient forum for Beijing, or its affiliates, to attack their political opponents.

 But the piece on Ms Loh's radio show was unusual not because of its attitude towards the democrat, but because of the grave inaccuracy in the information it provided.

 While it is true that Ms Loh has been invited to host a four-hour radio programme, the station concerned is Metro Radio instead of the government broadcaster.

 Ms Loh's new role with Metro Radio had been reported before the commentary's publication and this mistake demonstrates some of the problems Hong Kong's left-wing papers are facing now.

 A very basic problem perhaps is that while the change of sovereignty may have forced many of Hong Kong's politicians and institutions to adjust to the new regime, ironically, those who fail to catch up have happened to include some of China's agents in Hong Kong, such as the Wen Wei Po.

 For years, one of the key responsibilities of the local left-wing papers was to defend China's policy - by extension, it meant that whoever was found to be anti-Beijing had to be condemned.

  The presence of those unfriendly or even hostile political opponents kept pro-Beijing commentators very busy and the writers could hardly be short of ideas. But the handover changed the scene, making it more difficult for the left-wing commentators to come up with inspiration.

 Worse still are the deliberate attempts by the SAR Government to de-politicise the community's agenda. This shifting focus has presented left-wing commentators with a dilemma.

Traditionally, the left-wing papers positioned themselves as defenders of grassroots welfare and interests. They have felt free to criticise the British Hong Kong administration for its unfair social policies.

 But now, given the left-wing papers' brief to support the SAR Government, apart from in the political sphere, these same commentators are finding it increasingly difficult to speak on social issues.

 Basically, they cannot speak against the SAR Government and even if they do, they may find themselves caught in an unpleasant position of sharing the democrats' views.

 With all the constraints, what possibly can they have left to talk about?   Perhaps it is because of the limited room the left-wing press has in filling its opinion pages now that the news of Ms Loh's radio show excited the commentator so much he failed to get the facts right.

  Wen Wei Po may take Ms Loh's case as just an isolated incident, but it is a timely reminder for the paper, and other left-wing press, to review their future direction.

  If they want to survive in Hong Kong's competitive newspaper scene, it is time for them to think about reforms.



Left-wing press in need of reform