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Letters

Referendum was flawed from the start
In his column ("Cyberattacks likely to have opposite effect", June 21) Alex Lo referred to those who tried to jeopardise the mock referendum on political reform. He has, however, told only half the story of well-planned propaganda.
Before the launch of the referendum, Occupy Central announced that the voting mechanism popvote.hk was hacked on an unprecedented scale. According to [Occupy founder] Benny Tai Yiu-ting, it was a "world-class intrusion".
There was the implication of involvement by the mainland authorities.
Who really was the mastermind behind the malicious attack is anybody's guess. Could it be a nationalist hacker as some people claimed? Could it be a foreign power keeping a watchful eye on Hong Kong's political development, waiting to grab its share from the fallout? Or could it be supporters of Occupy Central bent on boosting backing for the voting exercise in order to put more public pressure on the central government?
Only 13 hours after the referendum started came the triumphant announcement that some 560,000 people voted on the political reform proposals.
Why would the "world-class" hacking stop conveniently once the voting had begun to allow an overwhelming number of votes to be cast?
Further, a vox pop poll conducted by the South China Morning Post at local universities the week before showed that few people understood the three proposals being put to the vote. It was also revealed that some people had voted using fake identity card numbers ("Organisers hit back at 'dishonest' fake votes", June 23). Hong Kong people are not so naive as to as to be taken in by the astronomical voting figures.
Whatever attempts were made to gain public support for the civil referendum and Occupy Central will backfire. These political roadshows cannot be taken seriously, except to show an increased public interest in local affairs. What happened should be seen as bordering on the farcical.
Patsy Leung, Mid-Levels
 
Contributing further to polarisation
With respect to the so-called Big Four accounting firms' open letter opposing Occupy Central, it is hard to know which is the more breathtaking - their arrogance or their ignorance ("Accountants say Occupy could push firms to leave", June 28).
Their arrogance is in assuming that, as an oligopoly, their opinion is worth more than others'. Accountants already have a professional body - the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants - and a functional constituency to speak for them. Apparently this is not enough for the likes of PricewaterhouseCoopers Hong Kong.
They also seem to miss the irony that many of Hong Kong's real problems are caused by the various oligopolies that we "enjoy". Their ignorance is in not seeing that, by setting themselves up in politics, they are contributing further to the polarisation of views in Hong Kong and the likelihood of civil unrest.
If not arrogant or ignorant, one can only imagine that they are really just shoe-shining Beijing, which would explain their advert being taken out in the Chinese press, and not in English, despite their claim that they are driven to take a position by their international clients.
John Barclay, Mid-Levels
 
Avoid rushing decision on third runway
It is so disheartening to see the new chairman of the Airport Authority with so-called stakeholders on television last month, voicing their support for the proposed third runway at Chek Lap Kok.
As stakeholders they have vested interests. The more traffic the airport generates following the construction of another runway, built at taxpayers' expense, the more profits they will make. Airlines want more slots and do not care that their industry is one of the worst polluters.
The authority talks of the billions of dollars the runway will generate, but ducks questions about the cost of construction, and how much more it will be than the 2011 estimate of HK$136 billion.
With inflation, rising construction costs and a marine park, some have suggested it could cost fives times the initial estimate. And most experts doubt if the Chinese white dolphins will return to their habitat after the construction work is completed. Why does the new chairman of the authority, Vincent Lo Hong-sui, want to press ahead with the project? Why can't he wait until his successor takes over in a year to ascertain if there is a real need for this runway.
Previous correspondents called for independent studies rather than ones sponsored by the airport and talked of the authority wasting public money.
We rushed into building Terminal 2 and produced a white elephant, so there is no need to act with indecent haste. The incoming chief executive of the authority should delay deciding on the third runway until Jack So Chak-kwong takes over as chairman.
F. Wong, Mong Kok
 
Blame rich HK car owners for congestion
The topic of restricting mainland visitors has been much in the spotlight of late.
They have been blamed for bad manners in the city, traffic congestion and soaring property prices. It doesn't seems fair, as Hong Kong residents are hardly stellar examples of good behaviour. Anyone wishing to see how Hong Kong residents are responsible for the terrible traffic congestion on Queen's Road Central should visit the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. You will see drivers stop regardless of whether traffic comes to a screeching halt behind them.
It is the most appalling example of how Hongkongers (especially the elite, judging from their cars) are the cause of their own misery. When someone stops in the middle of the road for valet parking or to pick up or unload passengers, the hotel's valets take their own sweet time moving the vehicles or unloading luggage.
Taxis avoid stopping there because of the time it will take to get out. I am there every day after work and have never seen a single traffic policeman. It is one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the main culprit is this hotel. It is not one or two people who misbehave, but a lot of individuals every day.
It has become socially acceptable here that if you have a driver and a nice car, you can stop any time and anywhere. If other people suffer, that's just too bad. So I am not convinced that one of the biggest sources of angst in the city can be blamed on mainland visitors.
We should reflect upon our own behaviour instead of cutting off the main source of the city's economic prosperity.
Y. Wan, Mid-Levels
 
United front against global warming
When it comes to global warming, the finger of blame is often pointed at developing countries, because of the emissions from their factories. However, these plants are mostly manufacturing goods which are consumed in developed nations.
Some countries blame other nations for being worse polluters, but no one seems willing to bear the consequences of economic growth and this is irresponsible. Developed and developing nations must recognise that global warming is a serious problem. They should be united against this threat to mankind and strive for a sustainable environment.
One of the most disastrous outcomes of global warming is the rise in sea levels with low-lying land under threat. Also, melting glaciers in the North and South Pole threaten the habitats of many species.
Developing nations must do more to reduce their levels of pollution. Economic growth is important but the environment should not be sacrificed in the process. Finding ways to cut carbon emissions will do more good than harm.
Developed nations must take the lead when it comes to protecting the earth. They should share technology with developing countries and encourage their own citizens to save resources. There are simple things we can all do, such as not changing our smartphones too frequently.
We should all be trying to adopt a green approach in our lives.
Lo Chak-yee, Sha Tin
 
Ban imposed on Suarez was excessive
Does Uruguay's striker Luis Suarez really set out to bite people?
I suspect it's actually an instinctive thing, some kind of defence mechanism kicking in from a tough childhood. It might be he was bullied. Clearly Suarez was being mauled by the Italian defender, Georgio Chiellini. But strikers do have to learn how to deal with this kind of attention.
Biting does have a stigma attached to it. However, Chiellini made a meal of it. Italian footballers have a habit of collapsing in agony if you make the mistake of touching them, especially in front of the referee. The evidence - a few tiny dimples on the skin - was hardly going to put Chiellini in hospital, even though he did sink to his knees as if he'd been hit by Mike Tyson.
Frankly, I'd rather have a tiny bite from Suarez than a so-called "mistimed tackle" that breaks a leg. Rogue defenders get away with such tackles all the time and often don't even pick up a yellow card.
If Suarez, instead of biting, had punched Chiellini on the jaw he would probably only have been banned for a few games.
Andy Smailes, Pok Fu Lam


Letters to the Editor, July 3, 2014

Airport's third runway could prove costly. Photo: Nora Tam

Cyberattacks on Hong Kong 'referendum' website and Apple Daily likely to have opposite effect

Benny Tai Yiu-ting said the volume of attacks on the portal that supports the referendum on the web was four times higher than usual.

Occupy Central organisers hit back at 'dishonest' fake votes in plebiscite

Dr Chan Kin-man and Benny Tai Yiu-ting urge people to vote.

Reform poll hits 750,000 votes as accounting firms condemn Occupy Central

A voter registering before casting her ballot last Sunday in Occupy's poll. New polling stations will be open this Sunday. Photo: AP

A voter registering before casting her ballot last Sunday in Occupy's poll. New polling stations will be open this Sunday. Photo: Kin Cheung/AP

Opinion

In his column ("Cyberattacks likely to have opposite effect", June 21) Alex Lo referred to those who tried to jeopardise the mock referendum on political reform. He has, however, told only half the story of well-planned propaganda.
