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SCMP Reporter

Should we preserve the King of Kowloon's graffiti?

I think calling the writings of the 'King of Kowloon', Tsang Tsou-choi,  graffiti is derogatory. In order to show due respect for him I would prefer to call his work  calligraphy.

His work represents the  collective memory of Hong Kong people. Although it  was  not elegant and beautiful, it was well known and was shown on fashion designs, on TV and was even auctioned.

What  makes Hong Kong so special are people with Hong Kong characteristics like the King of Kowloon.

If his calligraphy is erased, Hong Kong will be criticised for lacking appreciation of its  own culture.

Michael Leung Chung-hong, Sham Shui Po

What did you think of the 2007 Hong Kong Book Fair?

I didn't visit the  book fair. When I saw the scenes on television news, I decided not to go this year because there were too many people.

The attendance figures broke last year's record.  It made me think of the book stalls near my home, where I usually see very few customers.  If people really want to buy and read books, why wait until the book fair?

It may be down to the price of books, because there were bargains at the fair that you would not get at your local book store.  However, if you like reading, you don't have to squeeze into the crowded book fair.

Wong Yee-ho, Kwun Tong

I did not browse the book fair stalls this year, but friends of mine who did had some complaints.

Queuing for tickets was a  problem. Although the organisers arranged for people to queue indoors, visitors still needed to walk a long way to get to the stalls.

They also describe something that I have experienced at previous fairs, the stalls of the large publishers were always crowded. This makes it difficult to choose a book.  Insufficient space is a problem every year. As a consequence, readers and book vendors lose out.

I think  the Trade Development Council can make improvements in time for next year's  fair.

Poon Tsz-hin, Tseung Kwan O

I applaud the extension of opening hours of the book  fair.

In previous years, with so little time, you were always in a rush and many people who were working could not even get to the event.

However, with the extension of opening hours this year,  more white-collar workers could go to the fair with their friends and parents could go with their  children. More importantly, we were able to shop at a more relaxing pace. The extended hours were good news for the booksellers. Because attendances were up, more money was spent on books, so the vendors' profits were increased.

The Trade Development Council did a great job this year. Hopefully they will take our opinions into account when organising next year's fair and make it the best ever.

Steven Lau Yuk-Fai, Kwun Tong

Do women need more rooms to feed their babies?

I refer to the report about the study on the need for more breastfeeding rooms ('Nursing mothers decry lack of facilities', July 25).

Is Hong Kong so congested that we can't find the space for more breastfeeding rooms for mothers?   The government is urging couples to have more babies. And yet it is not providing them with suitable facilities.

A survey of nursing mothers has shown that  breastfeeding rooms are needed in the workplace and public places.

Breastfeeding is beneficial to the health of babies and so most mothers want to choose the breastfeeding option.

However, there are not enough facilities which are clean and convenient for these mothers and some give up breastfeeding.

The government must take note of this study and make more facilities available as  soon as possible.

Martina Ngai, Tseung Kwan O

The birth rate is already low in Hong Kong, but why  would more couples plan to start a family when  there are such inadequate facilities for parents of young children? Can you imagine having to breastfeed our baby in a toilet?  Mothers should not be forced to breastfeed their babies in unhygienic places because there is a  lack of feeding rooms.

The number of feeding rooms must be substantially increased.  Although there are rooms for breastfeeding in most large  shopping centres, mothers have difficulty finding suitable facilities when they are outside around Hong Kong.

The government must appreciate the needs of mothers and babies, and build more feeding rooms.  Having more baby-friendly facilities in the city may encourage people to have more children, and this can only benefit society.

Choi Ngai-na, Sau Mau Ping

What do you think of the new style of funeral being offered by some hotels?

The new style of funeral is an alternative way of saying farewell to a loved one.

It is different from the traditional Chinese-style funeral,  with banners and  people burning paper money.

In the traditional ceremony, there are Taoist prayers and mourning tunes. The pervading mood at these services is  sad.

The modern, western-style funeral  seems new to a Chinese society. However, I feel it can lighten the sad mood that often prevails.  This modern style of service has a calming effect. You can reminisce about a loved one with videos and photographs, listen to songs and sit round a table talking, rather than crying all day.

I  think this new style of funeral is a good idea. However, whether you opt for the  traditional or modern funeral, the ultimate purpose is the same -  to remember and show  respect for the loved one who has  passed away.

Lee Man-yin, Kwun Tong

What do you think of pay-TV services?

I wrote complaining about the pay-TV services provided by PCCW (Talkback, July 17). I would like to report that my case had been finally resolved to my satisfaction. PCCW offered me an HK$88 deal for just ESPN and Star Sports (instead of the HK$178 mega sports pack).

I hope that this  option can be made available to all  subscribers.

Roy Lee, Mid-Levels



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