Insights from Hong Kong

Posts Tagged ‘Henry Tang’

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From Today’s Cantonese Press

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 13 March 2013 at 10:28 AM


My sister can do that loud whistle. I can’t. And the man who did it in the ear of a policeman during a protest rally can. He has six weeks in jail to practice!

Assistant Director at RTHK claims he was pressured to carry out political missions

According to recent reports, RTHK Acting Assistant Director of TV and Corporate Broadcasting Forever Sze Wing-yuen was not promoted due to his failure to heed the directives of Broadcasting Director Roy Tang Yun-kwong. Yesterday, Sze claimed that his coworkers were feeling political pressure. He said that he also felt pressured to carry out political missions. However, while addressing a meeting of RTHK managers yesterday, Tang denied that he had ever asked colleagues to carry out political missions. He also said that he had not required the public affairs program Headliner to be always broadcasted via ATV. These points were included in a statement that RTHK issued. As an attendee of the meeting, Sze agreed to allow the statement to be distributed.

Tang says time for a consultation on political reform is pressing

Pan-democratic lawmakers had breakfast with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying yesterday. They called on Leung to begin a consultation on political reforms. Leung responded that the time for a consultation had not yet been reached and that any of the lawmakers’ ideas could be expressed to the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. However, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee member Henry Tang Ying-yen expressed yesterday that legislation on political reforms should be introduced in 2014 and that time for a consultation was pressing. He indicated his belief that citizens wished for adequate time to discuss proposed reforms.

Man who whistled in ear of police officers receives six-week sentence

A construction worker who whistled in the ears of several police officers during the 1 July protest rally last year and was charged with three counts of assaulting police officers has been sentenced to six weeks in jail. Yesterday, the judge hearing his case expressed her view that the defendant had deliberately assaulted the police officers. Moreover, she noted that the defendant was a repeat offender with similar cases on his record. However, the judge permitted the defendant to leave the courthouse on a HK$10,000 bail so that he could wait for an appeal.

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From Today’s Cantonese Press

In Hong Kong on 8 January 2013 at 2:13 PM

Poor Henry Tang – can’t catch a break. He wanted to seal off his illegal basement structure with a brick wall. That won’t go. And in other property news – it’s hard to eliminate subdivided flats in the expensive city. Here’s what’s making news in today’s Cantonese Press.

Buildings Department rejects Tang’s illegal structure solution

Yesterday, Director of Buildings Au Choi-kai said that the Buildings Department cannot accept the use of brick walls to seal off illegal structures, thereby rejecting an application by losing Chief Executive candidate Henry Tang to seal off his illegal basement using this method. Au’s statement also implied that Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s use of a brick wall to seal off his own basement in November 2011 was also not acceptable to the department. In response to some legislators’ accusations that the Buildings Department was using a double standard, Au said that there was not enough evidence to indicate that Leung had given false information. Therefore, the department had not conducted an investigation like it had in the case of Tang. Au said that conducting investigations for every case would be a waste of public money.

 

Yau Shing-mu says some subdivided flats might stay

Yesterday, the LegCo Panel on Housing passed a non-binding motion requesting that the government disclose the number of subdivided houses in Hong Kong and work towards eliminating subdivided units in the future. However, Undersecretary of Transport and Housing Yau Shing-mu expressed that the government would not eliminate such housing but would work towards ensuring that subdivided units were safe. He also noted that some residents of subdivided units prefer living in subdivided units in central locations rather than living in public housing in non-central locations. Some legislators criticized Yau’s remarks and suggested that the government secretly wished to allow subdivided flats to remain in existence.

 

Bokhary says he has confidence in the court’s actions on legal interpretations

Yesterday, Kemal Bokhary, a former permanent judge of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, told a lunch meeting at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club that it was up to the court to stand up and to push back against threats to the rule of law. He was referring to a comment that he previously made regarding his belief that Hong Kong’s rule of law was under threat, a comment that has taken on additional significance following the Justice Department’s recommendation that the Court of Final Appeal ask the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for a legal interpretation on the right of abode of mainland citizens in Hong Kong. In response to Bokhary’s latest remarks, Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuan said that the government respects the rule of law and has acted appropriately.

 

 

 

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Illegal Structure? New HKG CEO May Have “Incorrect” Memories

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 6 July 2012 at 12:45 PM

Alzheimer Sticky Notes Wall

I hate when that happens.

You know – you buy a new house, make a lot of alterations, then when the media find out they’re all illegal you forgot what you did. Was that gazebo there when I bought the place? Or did I design and build it after I moved in. It’s so hard to remember. After all, it was less than ten years ago.

Today the news is dominated by the new Chief Executive’s illegal housing structures – again (see my earlier post). The issue that brought down Henry Tang as Chief Executive candidate now threatens the starting days of CY Leung’s Administration.

What’s making headlines? An admission by Leung’s ExCo member (Executive Committee – similar to a Presidential Cabinet). Barry Cheung Chun-Yuen said CY Leung “may have remembered incorrectly.” To another question Carrie Lam said, “one’s memory may differ from time to time…but he did not use it as an excuse.”

Politicians need to be careful when they use excuses. Sometimes the excuse is worse than the problem.

Henry Tang made a tearful apology for his underground illegal structure. He said it was his wife’s house. She must have done the work. He gave it to her after he’d been discovered as an adulterer. That was in 2009. (Engineers concur the building works are so deep they could only have been built before the house went up.)

Oriental Daily: “(Henry Tang) Made His Wife a Scapegoat”

Bill Clinton said he didn’t think oral sex counted as sex when he denied having sex with Monica Lewinsky. (Sorry to keep repeating one word – but maybe when it’s used in the name of the act it’s considered sex?)

Clearly they enjoyed whatever that was

So here we have a brand-new Chief Executive in charge of the nation. And he’s got a bad memory? Is that perhaps worse than making illegal alterations to a property?

Overall the controversy is continuing and continuing because ineffective communications never resolve the issue. But there’s an upside. Maybe we’ll forget all about it?

Forgetting to Remember

This is a great song – and terribly apropos…

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Hong Kong’s New Chief Executive: Under Fire for Illegal Structures

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 26 June 2012 at 10:09 AM

This coming weekend China’s President Hu Jintao will be in Hong Kong. He is here to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this nation’s return to China. Hu will also swear in a new government led by Chief Executive-elect CY Leung. But Hu Jintao will want to get a hotel room. There’s too much noise as demolition work is carried out at CY Leung’s private residence.

You may recall in February this year the surreal storm that surrounded Henry Tang, then a candidate for Chief Executive. He was found to have a 2,500 square foot “underground palace” below his home in Kowloon (see my earlier post). The controversy surrounding this structure – and Tang’s poor public relations management of the issue – contributed to Tang’s drop in the polls and his failure to secure the top spot. The media scrum camped outside his home became the fodder for on-line jokes, such as the image below.

Well the cranes are back. This time they’re at a different house.

CY Leung was found to have a series of illegal additions to his home on The Peak. The six amendments range from a pergola for plants to a covered car park. All were in place when Leung bought the home. The problem is he stated unequivocally that he did not have any illegal structures during the election campaign.

Today media and demolition crews pour over the site. Gone are the various illegal additions. Gone, too, is the trustworthiness of the incoming Chief Executive. CY Leung has apologised three times in the past five days.

Back in action – cranes above CY Leung’s residence

Illegal structures have been a hot political topic, not only during the debate. In the New Territories (where I live), many village houses have roof-top awnings or to-the-floor glass balcony walls. These and many other illegal renovations can be spotted in every village across the Territory.

What makes them illegal? Mainly these structures were added after a building approval was granted. The approved plans are all that can be constructed. Modifications and additions require further approval. Over the years the lack of enforcement means many have slowly, slowly expanded. Some are simple add-ons. Others have built entire floors.

CY Leung said in his campaign that he was going to enforce building codes across Hong Kong. That led to a bitter debate with the regional political authorities in the New Territories. Hang Yee Kuk – usually referred to as ‘the Kuk’ – has been defending the rights of villagers to retain these structures. An immediate abolition would cause chaos as house after house would require dismantling or even total demolition. There isn’t spare housing or access to builders to achieve all these amendments immediately.

So this week CY Leung was found with his hand in the metaphorical cookie jar. He was calling for an end to illegal structures everywhere else but hadn’t checked his own residence. His election campaign probably fueled the fire of Henry Tang’s illegal structure brouhaha. No doubt Tang or the Kuk are playing  a role in Leung’s current difficulties.

Amazingly Leung studied surveying in a diploma course. He’s eagerly trying to explain that his degree in estate surveying is different from building surveying. Few are paying attention to the distinction. Most assume he wasn’t paying attention in school – or to the contract when he bought the house.

The impropriety has led the third candidate for the Chief Executive to call for CY Leung’s removal even before he is installed. Democratic Party Chairman Albert Ho-Chun-yan is seeking redress through the courts. Ho wants Leung’s election negated as he wasn’t truthful in the campaign. (Note to politicians everywhere: Be truthful in campaigns!)

Right now the biggest threat is to CY Leung’s credibility. He is constantly apologising. Newspapers have placed this story on the front page for days now. It made weekend reading and carries on today. Any crisis that continues to generate front page coverage for more than a day is very serious. It’s not been properly managed at the outset.

In all likelihood CY Leung will go on to be appointed as Chief Executive this weekend. The damage to Hong Kong would be too great if he were to be replaced at short notice. Yet Leung enters the role with a backlog of credibility issues. He would be well-served to stop pursuing illegal structures in the New Territories and instead focus on larger issues challenging the Hong Kong people, from income disparity to housing to an overall economic slowdown.

And CY Leung should get his house in order. Finally.

Courtesy of RTHK

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Five things businesses can learn from the Hong Kong chief executive election

In Hong Kong on 20 March 2012 at 3:54 PM

By Robyn Joseph

From Campaign Asia

Robyn Joseph, Partner, Kreab Gavin Anderson

Six days before the Hong Kong chief executive election, with the relationship between politicians, bureaucrats, the media and the public shifting, Robyn Joseph, partner of Kreab & Gavin Anderson, shares the implications for communication to mass audiences in the future.

1. The weight of public opinion

Hong Kong has spoken. Ethics, honesty and transparency are qualities that it values in its leaders, both government and business. Possessing power and wealth no longer exclude leaders from these standards. Therefore, businesses in Hong Kong would be well advised to review and prepare risk-mitigation and change-management strategies if necessary, because if they are found lacking they will be held accountable.

2. Social change and business decision-making

There are three candidates in the chief executive race, one from the pan-democratic camp and two from the pro-establishment camp. Interestingly, the real competition is between the two pro- establishment representatives. This tells us that even within the pro-establishment camp, there are individuals who are not satisfied with the status quo.

Most significantly, public opinion polls demonstrate that the Hong Kong people are not satisfied with the status quo. Therefore social change is afoot.

While it is still early days, the lesson for business is that it should not be making decisions based on the ‘old standards’. Business should be listening very carefully to the community to understand what it is that Hong Kong aspires to. Business’ future success will to some extent be based on its ability to deliver the changes that Hong Kong wants.

3. Social media: is anyone listening?

The traditional media has delivered a beating to each of the two pro-establishment candidates throughout the campaign. But neither has any excuses for not having been warned.

The social media was buzzing with the next juicy story before it was released by the traditional media online. And following each shocking revelation, the social media buzzed with opinion as to how the candidates should handle themselves.

While the reticence to engage with the social media is understandable, business and government should, at the very least, be using it to listen. Never before have they had such an efficient, real-time method to gather opinion.

4. Social versus traditional media

Everyone has got an opinion, but not every opinion is well considered. Business could never hope to reach everyone with an opinion, but it should spend some time identifying the most influential bloggers and tweeters, just as it does for the traditional media. It’s not hard to do. The tools are available.

5. Level Hong Kong’s playing field

One of the biggest observations during the election campaign is Hong Kong’s outrage at the extravagance of its leaders. As Hong Kong’s middle class begins to struggle to manage basics like  housing, education and health, the community expects its civil servants to act. This is likely to lead to more regulation. So business would be well advised to keep an eye on the agenda in LegCo.

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Las Vegas & HKG ExCo – What Happens Here Stays Here?

In China, Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 19 March 2012 at 11:20 AM

Las Vegas embraced its ‘Bad Boy’ reputation with a series of commercials under the theme – what happens here stays here. One shows an ecstatic girl kissing her new husband and saying she must get back to the convention. He doesn’t speak a word of English. My favourite is understated – it shows a mature Asian woman writing a postcard, then reading it before mailing. The smile disappears as she realises she’s shared some secrets. Watch it.

What’s good for Las Vegas is also good for ExCo – shorthand for the Executive Council of Hong Kong Government. This government body comprises 13 non-official members and 15 official members. They work as advisors to the Chief Executive. In the US this would be the President’s Cabinet.

On Friday during a debate candidate Henry Tang “dropped a bomb” by saying that rival CY Leung supported the use of tear gas in crowd control in Hong Kong back in 2003. Tang also said Leung wanted shorter broadcast licenses for commercial radio stations as a way of controlling press freedom.

The news is alarming on two levels.

First are the accusations. Hong Kong citizens take to the streets to demonstrate regularly. The anniversary of Tiananmen Square is observed with a march bringing together thousands of citizens. The recent slight by Dolce & Gabbana meant Canton Street became impassable on a Sunday as people thronged to protest in front of the store. So seeking a government ordinance that would permit the use of tear gas on its own citizens is alarming.

Second is the breach of confidence. ExCo meetings are confidential and there is no precedence for sharing internal discussions. As Henry Tang violated that protocol people question his leadership. There is also a call now that minutes of that meeting be made public. Should that happen then precedent could mean future ExCo meetings would be made public as well.

Tonight is the last debate before Sunday’s selection by the Hong Kong Election Committee. Tang is rumoured to be ready to drop another “bomb”. Everyone is keen to see if it’s another confidential missive.

For Henry Tang the strategy is working. Weekend polling show his appallingly low popularity ratings have climbed, while Teflon CY Leung slipped a few points. If Henry Tang goes the Julian Assange route and uses confidential government information to promote his own cause, we’ll all wait with interest to see what others can be share on Mr Tang himself.

Maybe he’ll wind up wishing it was all left in Vegas.

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“Was That A Nod, Premier Wen?” Hong Kong Asks

In China, Hong Kong on 15 March 2012 at 5:37 PM

What is Premier Wen pointing to? Is that CY Leung's name pinned to the ceiling?

The National People’s Conference concluded yesterday in Beijing. And to wrap up proceedings Premier Wen Jiabao held a press conference over three hours. There were far-ranging topics discussed, from economic policy to the actions of Chongqing’s Deputy Mayor.

In-between there was talk of Hong Kong. And while no definitive direction was offered, there’s a scramble to decipher each word.

“I believe that, as long as the principles of openness, justice and fairness are observed and relevant procedures are complied with, the chief executive election will result in a leader who has the support of the vast majority of the people in Hong Kong,” said Premier Wen (Source: The Standard).

As a simple American-Australian, I read this to say that citizens in Hong Kong will be happy with whoever is chosen so long as it is done in a transparent and just fashion.

But in Hong Kong the interpretations are flying. Everyone is keen to know which candidate for Chief Executive Beijing will support come the 25 March election.

Some say this is a clear nod to candidate CY Leung – as he is the candidate preferred today in opinion polls (“leader who has the support of the vast majority”).

Henry Tang chose to emphasise another portion in his web post yesterday (“principles of openness, justice and fairness”). He infers it made him the clear choice.

Sadly no one believes the third candidate – Albert Ho – was even referenced. As he is Chairman of the Democratic party he is unlikely to ever get mentioned politely among political circles in Beijing.

Thankfully my interpretation wasn’t far off base:

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong chairman Tam Yiu-chung said Wen did not indicate which candidate Beijing favors. (Source: The Standard)

With a track record like that, maybe I have a future reading tea leaves.

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HKG Chief Executive Race: Dinner and a Date – With the Triad

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 12 March 2012 at 11:32 AM

Another day, another scandal involving the candidates for Hong Kong Chief Executive post. With two weeks to go before the election it appears the mudslinging is reaching epic proportions. Hong Kong’s first taste of democracy is fast becoming a little unpleasant.

Yesterday two of the candidates for the role went on the attack in a debate organised by the South China Morning Post. CY Leung started by blaming Henry Tang for mishandling concert events in 2003 and then blaming a junior executive. HarbourFest was supposed to underpin a global return of tourism after the SARS crisis. Instead it was poorly organised and under-attended. In the end a public inquiry was held to better understand the high cost over-runs.

To counter Tang accused Leung of lacking the administrative experience necessary to run Hong Kong’s government. Leung rightly claimed that experience as an administrator is not what’s required to be a leader.

This mudslinging turns out to be a warm-up act.

On Friday Henry Tang reported to the police as he felt intimated that triad was involved in a smear campaign against him.

On Saturday, several election committee members from Heung Yee Kuk held a press conference to clarify questions surrounding their dinner with Leung’s camp in Lau Fau Shan last month.  The committee members gave a different account of the story than Lew Mon-hung, a core supporter of Leung who reportedly has a relationship with triad leader Kwok Wing-hung.  The committee members said Kwok had been invited to the dinner by Leung’s camp but Lew said Kwok showed at the dinner uninvited.  Lew also said the dinner was lined up by Heung Yee Kuk’s vice chairman Lam Wai-keung but Lam denied it.

It was a busy weekend at the police station. Last night, members of Leung’s election office including Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fan (羅范椒芬), Kaizer Lau Ping-cheung (劉炳章) and Karen Tang Shuk-tak (鄧淑德) went to the police and the ICAC to explain what had happened at that dinner.  Law said they proactively approached the departments to provide information on the incident as misleading and inaccurate comments had been given by different parties recently.  She reiterated that the election office did not know Kwok and had no relation with any triad members.  They also did not know in advance who would join the dinner with Heung Yee Kuk voters.  Law declined to comment on Lew’s remarks given on the issue. (See HKGElection blog by Kreab Gavin Anderson.)

Given the traffic this past weekend, perhaps Hong Kong Police need to consider upgrading their front entries.

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Oscar Wilde’s Adage – Truth is Stranger than Fiction; Henry Tang’s Underground Palace

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs, Social Media on 20 February 2012 at 6:52 PM

Oscar Wilde once said that when he needed sources for fiction, he turned to the day’s newspapers. And indeed the journalists covering politics in Hong Kong today are creating stories richer than any novelist. How else to describe the house that Henry Tang did (or did not) build?

Here’s the story.

Henry Tang is candidate for the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Prior to declaring his candidacy Tang was Chief Secretary for Administration for the government of this island nation. Already beloved by bureaucrats he was considered a safe choice by Beijing as he is equally admired by business. It was just a pesky aside that he did not prove popular in opinion polls.

When Tang was falling in the polls, an anonymous source released a conflict of interest claim against one of Tang’s biggest rivals. CY Leung was panelist to choose a design for the West Kowloon Cultural District and failed to declare his business had a relationship with one of the entrants. Rather serious stuff, except that occurred in 2001.

The winning design

Now we all know the adage about people who live in glass houses, right?

Once questions about ethics began surfacing it didn’t take long for someone to dig around in Henry Tang’s past. And they found…a glass house!

Or is it a palace?

At a property previously owned by Tang is an underground structure that was not part of the original development application. This 2,400 square foot space has been described by South China Morning Post as a palace.

The space has not been opened to the public yet diagrams and plans have been reproduced broadly. So let me add to that with a copy of the diagram. Not shown are the windows installed in the ceiling – that look up into the swimming pool. A Basement or an Underground Palace

Floor plan shows a gym, wine cellar, Japanese bath and more

For countries that are used to expelling political candidates for adultery, drink driving or tax fraud it’s hard to explain the importance of building codes to Hong Kong citizens. Half the country is vertical and many have died in building collapses. Plus middle class home owners are routinely fined or jailed for building code violations. So why shouldn’t a candidate for the top job adhere as well?

Looking into Tang's palace

Reporters try to see inside

Then on Thursday it got weirder. (Note to Oscar Wilde – start writing now!)

At a press conference called to let Tang speak to the masses, he provided an excuse that flabbergasted the audience. It was his wife’s fault. You see in 2010 Tang signed the property over to her. They’d had marriage upsets when it was purported he hadn’t been faithful.

So now it’s a global story. This morning commuters in London can read about the issue in The Telegraph. In Sydney they’re talking about it over cocktails as The Australian ran a feature.

And nowhere is the chatter quieter than in Beijing. Some report that Tang would have withdrawn at his press conference if he’d had clearer direction from China. They aren’t sure how to appease the numerous constituents with another candidate. They need time.

And in the interim, there are millions of posts and thousands of articles on the subject. Should he withdraw, Tang will have time to reflect on the debacle – perhaps from the comfort of his underground palace.

The view is nice

Making the rounds online

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Early Release, Late Release – Hong Kong Election Accusations

In Hong Kong, Public Affairs on 13 February 2012 at 1:10 PM

First it was early.

When one of the Deans at Baptist University had preliminary polling data on the popularity of Chief Executive candidates he let is fly. Widespread reporting followed – along with accusations that the report was released early in order to favour one candidate in the race for Hong Kong Chief Executive role.

The blog, Hong Kong Election, provides the following synopsis:

According to the course of events narrated in one Chinese daily, Zhao was originally a supporter of Leung and thus his first survey that showed Leung leading in popularity.  But then the university council’s chairman Wilfred Wong, a declared Tang supporter, exerted influence on Zhao.  The dean therefore changed his stance and announced premature results of the second popularity survey that showed Tang catching up with Leung.

In the end Professor Zhao Xinshu resigned as dean of the School of Communications of Baptist University last week.

Now it’s the late release of information causing a ruckus.

In 2001 Chief Executive candidate Leung Chin-Ying (Leung)served on a panel of selectors to choose the design for the proposed West Kowloon Arts Hub. This multi-million dollar project will provide a central location for all the arts in Hong Kong. Think New York’s Lincoln Center or London’s Barbican Centre. Now that he’s running for Chief Executive an unnamed source in the government issued a release stating Leung had failed to disclose a connection between one of his businesses and the winning design firm.

Yes – that’s right. An unnamed government source announcing a possible violation of conflict of interest 11 years later.

All of this comes as the public popularity of Leung continues to grow.

Yet many “in the know” say that Chief Executive candidate Henry Tang Ying-yen(Tang)  is the candidate favoured by Beijing.

So when Baptist University re-released the survey it showed Tang catching up. And the Arts Hub ruckus occurs a week later, again to discredit Leung.

In a country without negative campaign advertising the ability to find mud isn’t limited. This is politics at its dirtiest.

Larson Re-Interpreted
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