Former Bloomberg producer writes 'love letter to Hong Kong'

The big white elephant at Muhammad Cohen's book launch reception on Friday at the Prince's Building Bookazine shop was his new name. Formerly a producer at Bloomberg, he has just produced a satirical piece of fiction, Hong Kong On Air, about a group of TV journos in pre- and post-handover Hong Kong.

'In a way, it's a love letter to Hong Kong,' Cohen said. Among those gathered included Bloomberg's Bernard Lo who toasted his former colleague and recalled their times when he was still Elliot Cohen. Naturally, the question nobody asked but everyone wondered was, why the change to Muhammad?

'There's another writer named Elliot Cohen in the United States and all my liberal Jewish friends hate him because he's a right-wing neo-conservative ... plus, I like the combination of the two names now. It includes so much.'

Cohen's publisher, Pete Spurrier of Blacksmith Books, later added that Cohen's wife is Indonesian and for him to work in her native home, it was much easier if he 'converted'. When asked if he actually changed from Judaism to Islam, the author beat around the bush then said, 'But I do go by Muhammad now'.

Things took an even stranger twist over the weekend. It seems Cohen - a member of the local Jewish Community Centre - booked a hall there for a talk on Sunday morning. But when Mr Spurrier tried to iron out details, he was told he would not be allowed to attend because he's not Jewish. In fact, only Jews were allowed in. I guess the JCC made an exception for their man Muhammad.