WHY LESLIE CHEUNG - WHO GAVE US LAUGHTER AND TEARS - DESERVES RESPECT

The sudden demise of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing is a great shock to every Hong Kong person ('Pop star Leslie Cheung dies in fall from hotel', South China Morning Post, April 2). There have been many rumours speculating about his death and his private life in the press since the tragedy. I am sure lots of the stories are inaccurate and simply fabricated. Mr Cheung was a great artist, who brought us laughter and tears through his lovely voice and superb acting. His private life is not an issue to us. It is his personality, songs and movies that we are going to miss hugely. However, I am concerned about the well-being of his longtime partner, Daffy Tong Hok-tat. For the person closest to a suicide victim, it is a particularly painful time. I can talk about this because of a personal experience. My late partner committed suicide two years ago because of clinical depression, the stated cause of Mr Cheung's suicide. There will be lots of unanswered questions, pain and guilt inflicted on Mr Cheung's partner. It is even more difficult for the surviving partner in a same-sex relationship because most people will not understand what the couple has gone through. The public of Hong Kong should provide as much support as possible to Mr Tong at this difficult time and in the future. With this in mind, I hope the press will provide more objective reporting about Mr Cheung's death and not just focus on gossip. Hong Kong is going through a very difficult time at the moment: a declining economy, the atypical pneumonia virus and now a deceased star. It is time for us to gather our energy to express our love, strength and support to the people around us. By caring for others, we can sustain our efforts to fight the virus and rebuild our economy. I feel sure that our future will be prosperous. E. TAN Mid-Levels RESTRICT CHINA TRIPS - AND ATYPICAL PNEUMONIA With the Ching Ming Festival and Easter coming, we are facing a threatened further spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). A 65-year-old relative of mine, for example, insists on visiting one of the disease's reported places of origin in China during the Ching Ming Festival period, believing that he is strong enough to withstand any infection. Given that one sick person can spread the disease to the community around, the holiday poses a major threat to our attempts to control the disease. I hope that this time the government will take early precautionary measures in order to prevent another serious outbreak following the holiday. I suggest that travel to the mainland during this period should be only on a 'strictly necessary' basis. Giving advice is not sufficient because there are people like my relative who are still not convinced of the danger of Sars and would not care about putting other people at risk. I want our government to take a harder line this time. LEE YAT SAU Cha Kwo Ling CLOSE THE BORDER? IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ALREADY The border between Hong Kong and the mainland should be closed. In fact, this should have been done as soon as it was realised where the Sars infection originated, considering the sheer volume of people moving across the border every day. It should be obvious that Sars may still be entering Hong Kong from sources across the border. Closing the border may appear drastic but the effects of not doing so are even more devastating. B W CHAN Yau Ma Tei HOW THE MAINLAND VIEWS THE HONG KONG OUTBREAK I am told that some multinational companies in Beijing have issued instructions to their staff not to travel to Hong Kong because of Sars. Also, some big companies in Shenzhen have refused to meet people from Hong Kong. Hong Kong is considered more dangerous than Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai by many Chinese people and foreigners living in China. This could be true, as the virus is now widespread in Hong Kong. Based on this situation, I do not think it advisable for us to close the border. Nor will China allow Hong Kong to seal the border unless we can prove that new cases of atypical pneumonia are due to China travellers. PATRICK NG Taikoo Shing DECISION TO KEEP FAIR DATES DESPITE THE VIRUS IS WRONG The Trade Development Council's announcement yesterday that it is proceeding as scheduled with both trade fairs in Hong Kong in April, even while Sars numbers are increasing, totally ignores the health of the public. The TDC's statement is not supported by facts. How could the TDC possibly indicate that the spread of Sars is under control with 'rapid progress' being made in 'identifying and treating the victims'. New cases of infection are outpacing the number of recovered patients. Amoy Gardens is devastated without a clue as to what went wrong. No medical authority can confirm whether the transmissions are airborne or not. Face masks are not 100 per cent safe. Why put the lives of the public in danger? Only 'some 300 overseas buyers' have indicated they will not travel to Hong Kong. Come on, who is the TDC trying to kid? Just check with several major hotels and I am sure the numbers will be frightening. Check with major airlines and the numbers will be just as frightening. United Airlines and Air Canada announced a few days ago that they will slash scheduled flights to Asia immediately by 30 per cent. What made the airlines slash flights to Asia? Trip cancellations because of atypical pneumonia (also war-related to a certain extent). I have over 20 customers from the US and Canada and all cancelled their trips after their governments warned people not to go to Asia if it could be avoided. That is almost seven per cent of the TDC's published number of cancellations and I am just one exhibitor among thousands. Does the TDC really think that overseas buyers are obligated to advise it of cancellations? To get a better picture about cancellations, ask some exhibitors. I am sure that the TDC knows that but did not want to face the true findings. I would point out to TDC decision-makers that Hong Kong is a world city and must stay transparent. Do not try to fool the world. No exhibitors are asking for refunds. The best thing TDC could have done was to postpone both fairs. Why force the issue? Holding the fairs on the scheduled dates will not get support, only grief and a bad attendance record. NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED ANGER OVER WAR IN WHICH IRAQ MAY USE CHEMICALS I am angry with the US action in leading a war against Iraq. The Americans are attacking the Iraqis for unacceptable reasons. They only want to take Iraq's oil. In the process, they have killed many people and destroyed many buildings and other infrastructure. If the Americans continue to attack Iraq, the defenders may use chemical weapons. This conflict is very dangerous to the whole world. HAYWOOD CHIU Tsuen Wan THE GROWING CIVILIAN TOLL The cemeteries of Iraq are filling up with liberated people. TIM PILE Lantau