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Shirley Lau

Tom Hilditch

It's time to look back; to wallow in the insanity and bizarre behaviour that defined our city in 2002. Welcome to the SAR Awards, Part 1 (January to June).

CALLIGRAPHY AWARD

Runner-up: The three Thai visitors arrested for trying to open an HSBC bank account with 10 US$1 notes they altered with a pen so each read US$1 million.

Winner: Chinachem boss Nina Wang (left), who after a long court case that began in the spring, was ruled to have 'probably' forged her late husband Teddy's will.

THE JUNO MAK TROPHY FOR MOST UNPOPULAR CD

Awarded to the Shui Tan Tsuen villagers celebrating New Year who, with police watching their every move, were forced to play a CD of fire-cracker sounds.

DR HAROLD SHIPMAN AWARD FOR MEDICAL CARE

Chinese medicine practitioner Tai Kut-sing, who was ordered to pay $1.4 million in damages to a taxi driver he treated for haemorrhoids with a 'cure' containing arsenic.

SEXIEST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

Awarded to chtung.com - which turned out to be a porn site.

THE HUN SEN AWARD FOR ELECTION MANIPULATION

Yorkshire terrier Tung Oi-kong (Tung Loves Hong Kong), left, barred from standing for the 'election' as chief executive. Tung Chee-hwa subsequently romped home.

THE GARY CHENG AWARD FOR GREATEST FASHION ADVANCE

To the police who introduced new black hoods made of stylish 'breathable fabric' for the 'greater comfort' of suspects.

THE YEAR OF THE BLIND HORSE ROSETTE

The Hong Kong government, which repatriated Oluwaseni Olusanmokun (left) - the son of Nigeria's top diplomat in Hong Kong - after he was jailed for two years for wounding an off-duty police officer in Wan Chai. He was just 10 weeks into his sentence.

THE REGINA IP AWARD FOR BEAUTIFUL HAIR

The woman who sought $8,000 in compensation from the New Idol Hair Studio after she requested a 'Julia Roberts perm' but got a 'broomhead'. Che Ieu told the hearing: 'Look at me, how can I do anything about my love life now?'

THE HENRY KISSINGER CUP FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Awarded after Chinese agents found 27 bugging devices built into President Jiang Zemin's new US-made private jet.

BESDT TWINS

Runner-up: Dead heat between saccharine popsters Twins, the Abode Twins and the Lan Kwai Fong Twins.

Clear Winner: Fading actress Irene Cheng (left) who let her 'twins' bounce freely from her designer dress in a desperate bid to attract the paparazzi.

TALEBAN CUP FOR CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Defence counsel Finny Chan Fei-nai who asked the judge to be lenient because the gang rape committed by his clients was, he said, 'a more gentlemanly sort of rape'.

BEST HAT

Architect Lord Norman Foster's $24-billion proposal to give West Kowloon a transparent canopy.

MONGKOK TROPHY FOR POPULATION DENSITY

Kee Club toilet cubicle on any given Saturday night.

DISC(H)ORD AWARD

Runner-up: Samuel Wong, Hong Kong Philharmonic director, who oversaw 10 resignations and earned the dislike of about 80 per cent of the remaining musicians.

Winner: Secretary for Home Affairs Dr Patrick Ho Chi-ping (left), who in his previous capacity of Arts Development Council chairman, said grants just 'nurture a group of lazy people'.

SERVICES TO TOURISM AWARD

Immigration officers who, for no given reason, detained Hong Kong's Literary Festival's star guest, author Amit Chaudhuri. The Indian passport holder fumed to the world's press that Hong Kong was racist and had provided his 'worst ever travel experience'.

THE TRUST YOUR DAD AWARD

Albert Yeung for putting long-lens pictures of son Gilbert making out with beautiful underwear model Ambra on the front cover of Eastweek magazine.

THE VALOUR IN RECESSION MEDAL

Li Ka-shing's top lieutenant, Hutchison MD Canning Fok (left), whose 12.5 per cent pay cut meant he only banked $105 million this year.

OSAMA GOLDEN BIN LINER FOR COMPASSION

Lee Chen-fan, who sued Chung Kai-chiu for denting his car. Chung had landed on it after she attempted a suicide leap from a 10-storey building. 'I meant to die, but the car upset my plan,' retorted a very put-out Chung. 'And it was illegally parked.' The pair settled out of court.

Tomorrow: SAR awards from July to December



Taking stock