Congestion worry on Hong Kong's planned man-made border-control island

SCMP - Hong KongToday, 3:12 AM

The expected high volume of visitors using the future 150-hectare man-made border-control island for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge could cause unique congestion problems, Islands District councillors said yesterday.

According to the government's feasibility study, the commercial use of the island will occupy between 300,000 and 500,000 square metres and include malls and hotels.

With a large flow of incoming visitors from Macau and the western Pearl River Delta expected to pass through, the study said six industries - tourism, retail, creative industries, logistics, conventions and exhibitions, and business and professional services - should be developed on the site east of Lantau Island.

This could generate issues for car parking, which should take future growth into consideration, councillors said.

The study said the malls should help alleviate the congestion at tourist hotspots in the city centre and blend with existing facilities at the AsiaWorld-Expo, next to Hong Kong International Airport, and the future expansion of Tung Chung new town.

In May, the Airport Authority said tendering for phase one of the city's largest shopping complex, to be built next to Terminal 2, would start later this year. The project consists of a hotel and retail centre with almost 200,000 square metres of floor space over five hectares of land.

At a special meeting of the Islands District Council yesterday, many councillors brought up the parking issue.

While the exact number of parking spaces is yet to be decided, an underground car park is planned for inbound private cars.

Councillor Chau Chuen-heung from Tung Chung South constituency said it was "better safe than sorry" to add additional spaces, citing the early saturation of the airport's capacity.

David Lo Kwok-chung, chief engineer of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, said the number of parking spaces would be in line with the existing standard ratio. The government is also in discussion with the MTR Corporation as well as the Airport Authority on whether to extend the rail network to connect to the island.

But councillor Andy Lo Kwong-shing said the standard ratio would not provide enough parking spaces for inbound visitors if the government is to encourage visitors to park their cars on the island and use public transport to get to other parts of Hong Kong.

A representative of the Arup Group, the government-hired consultancy, said enough space would be reserved for future expansion of car parks.

The two-month community engagement on the plan will end on September 7.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1838449/congestion-worry-hong-kongs-planned-man-made

Fears over airport ferry route threat to Chinese white dolphins

by Ernest Kao ernest.kao@scmp.com

PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 14 July, 2015, 3:12am

UPDATED : Tuesday, 14 July, 2015, 3:12am

Fears over airport ferry route threat to Chinese white dolphins image 1

Environment advisers have urged the Airport Authority to consider opening up another high-speed ferry route from the SkyPier to ease traffic in a proposed diversion further north that will cut through the key habitat of Chinese white dolphins.

The current route proposed in the authority's management plan diverts all Zhuhai and Macau-bound ferries north and northwest from Lantau Island and through a narrow corridor between north Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and the Urmston Road anchorage area.

Improvement to SkyPier traffic was one of the conditions imposed by the Advisory Council on the Environment after endorsing the authority's environmental impact assessment for the third runway project last year.

The authority plans to cap the average daily traffic to 99 and create a 15-knot speed control zone between the marine park and anchorage site. Only Macau and Zhuhai ferries will be affected.

Transport analyst and council member Dr Hung Wing-tat called the plan "stupid" as they were essentially creating a new route through an area rarely used by any other marine vessels, while a recent government study found the area to have the highest density of dolphins off Lantau.

The council meeting concluded yesterday with suggestions to open up a southern route - between the marine park and runway site - and for all high-speed ferries plying the northern route to be subject to speed controls.

Authority general manager for environment projects Peter Lee said it would note the council's comments before finalising the plan and submitting it to the Environmental Protection Department for approval this year.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Fears over airport ferry threat to white dolphins

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1838448/fears-over-airport-ferry-route-threat-chinese

Hong Kong businesses urged to woo the growing elderly market

SCMP - Hong KongToday, 3:12 AM

Hong Kong's "silver economy" that taps elderly spending is worth HK$50 billion a year and growing but too few businesses are wooing this market, says the organiser of a recently concluded fair for the elderly.

The likes of travel agencies and banks were now pioneering products targeting the elderly, but not enough companies were willing to bet on the fast-expanding silver-hair market, said Wilson Tong, fairs director of Vertico Expo Services and organiser of the Retiree and Senior Fair.

According to the company's market research, Hongkongers over the age of 65 spend around HK$50,000 to HK$70,000 a year outside of their daily needs and rent. With around a million Hongkongers over the age of 65, the market valued at around HK$50 billion was only set to grow, said Tong.

Given that the number of elderly will double in the next decade to 29 per cent of the population, Tong said: "There is a huge market here. The need for products and services for the specific needs of older people is only growing, but the supply is unable to keep up - both qualitatively and quantitatively."

Some 73,000 visitors attended the three-day fair Vertico organised at the beginning of this month. This was a big jump from the 4,000 visitors when it first started in 2009.

Among those taking up the challenge of catering to the market is travel agency Morning Star. Its marketing director, Wilson Yeung Chun-bong, said the agency launched a series of tours tailor-made for older people last year, with lower prices, a less packed itinerary, and an emphasis on quality food and accommodation.

"We launched the series at last year's senior fair, and have been receiving decent feedback," said Yeung, adding that many organisations like homes and centres for the elderly and NGOs booked their age-specific itineraries.

"It's often the little things and a slower pace," he said. "We also tend to mark the prices down for them, as a way of showing respect to a generation who have given much to building Hong Kong."

These itineraries - usually to the mainland or around Southeast Asia - catered to older travellers' slower speed, said Yeung. More pit-stops and bathroom breaks are built into bus travel, and more experienced guides are chosen to lead these tours, often armed with hiking sticks and other equipment.

Fair organiser Tong said in financial services, many banks were starting to put in service counters specifically for elderly customers, and some were developing financial plans and packages for retirees.

One factor hindering faster growth in the private sector was a lack of market and consumer data, Elderly Commission vice-chairman Dr Lam Ching-choi said.

"There is very little research and data on elderly services or elderly spending patterns for the private sector to look at," said Lam.

"What are the spending patterns of the baby boomer generation who are now stepping into their 60s? What assets do they have? Simple research could paint a better picture and help both companies and investors."

The government does not have statistics on Hong Kong's silver economy.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1838545/hong-kong-businesses-urged-woo-growing-elderly-market

Hong Kong companies ‘slash plans to hire staff amid euro zone crisis and China volatility’

PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 14 July, 2015, 1:09pm

UPDATED : Tuesday, 14 July, 2015, 1:09pm

Phila Siu phila.siu@scmp.com

Volatility in the Chinese economy has been felt in Hong Kong and made companies less willing to hire new staff, according to the survey. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong companies’ plans to hire new staff have nosedived following the euro zone crisis and the volatility of the mainland Chinese economy, with a survey suggesting only one in four are looking to increase headcounts later this year, down from about one in two in a previous survey.

International recruitment agency Hudson polled 274 local companies last month. It found 25.5 per cent are looking to increase headcounts later this year, down from 52.1 per cent in a poll conducted at the beginning of this year.

“There are various challenges economically. External factors like the euro zone crisis with Greece as well as what has been happening in the Chinese economy. It affects the sentiment with regards to what the economy may look like,” said Siddharth Suhas, Hudson’s director of Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

READ MORE: China Markets Live - Shanghai and Hong Kong ends morning down, but Shenzhen finishes up

Suhas also said that companies are making “strategic hires” instead of recruiting more back-office staff. “Strategic hires” refers to professionals who can help companies grow when the economy is in difficult times.

“Those employers looking to increase headcounts are ones making strategic hires where they believe they will get the most value such as business development, customer experience and revenue-generating roles,” he added.

In the professional services industry, such as accounting firms, 36.7 per cent are planning to increase headcounts, down from 66.7 per cent in the previous survey.

For the banking and financial services industry, it also came down significantly from 65.1 per cent to 29.3 per cent. It dropped from 54.1 per cent to 16 per cent in the consumer and retail sector.

Elderly Hong Kong couple avoid jail for attacking woman and hitting her breasts at Occupy protests

by Thomas Chan thomas.chan@scmp.com

SCMP - Hong KongToday, 3:34 PM

An elderly couple who molested and assaulted a passer-by at an Occupy protest in Mong Kok last year avoided prison today when a magistrate said she passed lenient sentences because of their history of cancer.

So Suet-ling, 65, was jailed for two weeks, suspended for one year, for molesting a woman, named as “X” in court for legal reasons, while her husband Chan Nam-sing, 72, was fined HK$8,000 for molesting X.

So had previously pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault, while Chan denied committing one charge of indecent assault.

Kwun Tong magistrate Peony Wong Nga-yan said that their offences could warrant immediate jail terms, but she passed lenient sentences due to “humanitarian reasons”.

The court heard that So and Chan had survived breast and liver cancer respectively, and they still had regular medical appointments.

Earlier, Kwun Tong Court heard that on October 4, the couple molested and assaulted the 36-year-old victim at Argyle Street in Mong Kok while she was filming the protest zones with her mobile phone.

The attacks happened when X had disputes with other onlookers.

“The victim tried to stop other people from fighting at the time. The two defendants, however, blamed her for meddling in other people’s business,” Wong said.

The court heard that on that day, So grabbed X’s phone after X said she was filming her. When X attempted to get her phone back, Chan used his fist to push her breasts at least three times.

In mitigation submissions, the couple’s lawyers said they felt sorry for their family because their case, which had been reported extensively by media, had brought them pressure.

They also submitted to court mitigation letters from three district councillors who praised the couple as kind-hearted and helpful.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1838623/elderly-couple-avoid-jail-attacking-woman-hong-kong-occupy

Hong Kong Family Planning Association says have as many kids as you like. Thanks!

By Coconuts Hong Kong July 14, 2015 / 14:57 HKT

Wondering how many kids you should have? Apparently it’s completely up to you. Who knew?

Hong Kong’s Family Planning Association has released a new TV advert urging Hongkongers to have as many children as they see fit.

“One is perfect for a solo. With two, you can play doubles. The more the merrier. How about a quartet? You could even form a basketball team,” the 30-second ad explains in layman’s terms.

In an accompanying statement, the Association explains the method in its madness: “40 percent of women have not attained their ideal family size”.

Apparently, most married Hong Kong women think 1.67 children is the ideal number, while the majority actually only have 1.24. To be fair, they’d probably all be happier with a solid two.

The discrepancy has been blamed on couples delaying marriage and childbearing, probably because they’re too busy working their asses off to be able to afford kids in the first place.

HKFP points out that the message is in sharp contrast to that of the 1970s, when Hongkongers were told that “two children were already enough”.

However, the city is now facing an increasingly ageing population after birth rates dropped significantly over the last few decades.

Quick, everyone start having babies!!

http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2015/07/14/hong-kong-family-planning-association-says-have-many-kids-you-thanks

Basic Law video a tool to brainwash students, say concern groups

Progressive Lawyers Group and the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union studied the Basic Law teaching package and concluded it is not acceptable as a secondary school material. Photo: Internet

HomeHong KongLocal

A video material to help teach the Basic Law in secondary schools is being denounced by students, instructors and lawyers who say it’s misleading.

They want the Education Bureau to cancel it, saying the material could be used to brainwash students, according to Apple Daily.

Progressive Lawyers Group and the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union (HKPTU) studied its content and concluded it is not acceptable as a secondary school material.

HKPTU said it promotes partisan politics and intentionally avoids controversial topics such as a lawyers’ march for judicial independence in June last year.

Also, the views presented in the material are misleading because these assume Hong Kong people accept Beijing’s reinterpretation of the mini constitution, it said.

All interviewees in the video are pro-establishment figures including Elsie Leung, deputy director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee, and Maria Tam, a deputy to the Chinese legislature.

The lawyers group said the material plays down the fact that “one country, two systems” was derived from the Sino-British Declaration.

That could lead students to believe that the Basic Law is an extension of the Chinese constitution which can be amended by the standing committee of the National People’s Congress as it pleases, the group said.

While the material encourages citizens to obey the Basic Law, it does not say how it is supposed to protect their rights.

The Education Bureau thinks there’s nothing wrong with it.

It said students can learn to think independently through the video presentation.

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Jasper Tsang, Carrie Lam lose face at hands of CY Leung

Leung Chun-ying managed to humiliate his ostensible allies Jasper Tsang (left) and Carrie Lam on the same day. Photos: RTHK, Bloomberg

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During question period in the Legislative Council last week, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was subjected to constant heckling from the opposition benches.

Albert Chan Wai-yip of People Power, Leung Kwok-hung of the League of Social Democrats and independent lawmaker Wong Yuk-man kept yelling at him from their seats.

Leung became so irritated that he asked Legco president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing to enforce the chamber’s rules of procedure by disciplining them.

After a moment of hesitation, Tsang, rather reluctantly it seemed, told Chan and his colleagues to behave.

Feeling indignant at Leung’s arrogant and bossy attitude, other pan-democratic legislators in the chamber immediately raised the question whether it was appropriate for the chief executive to give orders to the Legco president during a formal meeting of the legislature.

However, members of the pro-establishment camp, apparently still haunted by the bungled walkout several weeks ago that led to the resounding defeat of the government’s electoral reform proposal, were quick to rush to the defense of their boss.

Among them, Ann Chiang Lai-wan and Ip Kwok-him of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Wong Kwok-kin of the Federation of Trade Unions and Ma Fung-kwok, who represents the sports, performing arts and cultural sector, urged Tsang one after another to get tough with the three rebellious lawmakers.

Tsang was outraged by their demand.

He responded angrily that he didn’t need to be told what to do and asked the lawmakers whether they had already performed enough in front of the television cameras.

Many in the mainstream media believe the reason Tsang suddenly lost his temper was probably because he was feeling humiliated by the fact that his pro-establishment colleagues were questioning his ability to maintain order inside the chamber in front of the chief executive, which made him look incompetent as the president of Legco.

Besides, it has become an open secret that there is personal animosity between Tsang and Leung, and Tsang was simply contemptuous of those who were openly trying to kiss up to the chief executive.

Leung has recently stated on different occasions that in the post-reform-vote era, his administration will stay focused on livelihood and economic issues.

As there are a lot of pressing issues facing our society, such as insufficient protection for labor, the absence of a universal retirement protection scheme, a healthcare system that is already stretched to the limit and even the sustainability of our financial system, Hongkongers are holding their breath to see how the government is going to deliver on its promise.

Unfortunately, to everyone’s disappointment, it seems what is in the administration’s pipeline is the complete opposite of what we are expecting.

During Thursday’s question period, in what appeared to be a publicity stunt for the government in collaboration with the DAB, legislator and executive councillor Starry Lee Wai-king, the party’s chairman, began by bragging that her party had found 70 “public hygiene black spots” across the city and asked Leung what he was going to do about that.

It seems the only aim of her question was to set the stage for the chief executive to proudly announce his latest big policy initiative: the Clean Hong Kong Campaign 2015, which will begin next month, spearheaded by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

So it turned out that even though there are a lot of social and economic problems waiting to be dealt with urgently in our city, and the general public is eagerly looking forward to remedies for them, all our government is concerned about is cleaning up the trash on our streets.

As the second-in-command of the Hong Kong government, Lam has been kept busy in the past three years taking care of one big project after another, such as the Community Care Fund, the population policy initiative and the “pocket it first” electoral reform proposal, not to mention playing “secretary nanny” and cleaning up the numerous messes left behind by her fellow top officials.

Despite her tireless efforts to keep the government functioning against the odds for the past few years, it is really sad and ironic that the reward for her steadfast service is the position of captain of the cleaning squad.

As the old Chinese saying goes, once there are no more birds to hunt, the bow will be put away.

It seems this ancient rule of politics still applies to modern-day Hong Kong.

This article first appeared in the Hong Kong Economic Journal on July 13.

Translation by Alan Lee

[Chinese version 中文版]

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FL

AIH CHING-TIN

Columnist of Hong Kong Economic Journal

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Legionella bacteria now found in HK housing estate’s lead-heavy water

By Coconuts Hong Kong July 14, 2015 / 09:54 HKT

As a scare over excessive amounts of lead found in the water supply of a Kowloon City housing estate deepens, the public learns that’s not the only nasties they’ve got to contend with.

Legionella bacteria, which can cause respiratory failure and death in extreme cases, was found in the kitchen and bathroom of a 72-year-old man who was recently admitted to hospital with breathing problems,reports the SCMP.

He lives in Mun Ching House, one of six buildings on the Kai Ching Estate where lead levels exceeding World Health Organisation standards have been discovered in recent days.

Hong Kong’s Housing Department has vowed to disinfect all blocks, while a doctor from the Centre for Health Protection urged Mun Ching House residences to used boiled water for showering and brushing their teeth. Watch out for burns!

The government has also promised to set up a task force to investigate how lead got into the water supply in all six buildings.

Qualified plumber Lam Tak-sun, who fitted all the pipes in question, is professing his (partial) innocence, saying that as many of the pipes were pre-fabricated in mainland China, he cannot be held fully responsible.

However, investigations so far suggestion that not all of the pre-fabricated pipes contain lead, while some of the locally made ones do.

It seems we can’t blame the mainland for everything, sigh.

The department is now discussing replacing all pipes at the estate as well as taking water samples from the Kowloon City Government Officers and a Chinese University dorm, both of which were also handled by Lam.

http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2015/07/14/legionella-bacteria-now-found-hk-housing-estates-lead-heavy-water-supply

Viral satire video showcases Hong Kong’s tiny sub-divided flats, estate agent-style

By Coconuts Hong Kong July 14, 2015 / 10:57 HKT

https://youtu.be/qKf08vWTkKA

If you’ve ever been apartment hunting in Hong Kong, you’ll have witnessed agents going all out to give the hard sell on some truly inhabitable hellholes. That’s perhaps why it’s almost hard to tell this new viral video is satire.

Created by Joe You for her Masters of Fine Arts degree at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, “King’s Cube” masquerades as a real estate video showcasing a luxury Hong Kong apartment. The only difference is, it’s showing off a 16.4 square foot room in a dilapidated sub-divided block instead.

After waxing lyrical about the merits of the area for a good three minutes, a be-suited, bespectacled young man finally takes us inside King’s Cube, a fictional name for a block of flats in Sham Shui Po, presumably derived from the so-called “cubical units” the building houses.

Coming out of the “vintage” lift is a man in a dinner jacket and bow-tie carrying a sizeable glass of red wine. “Residents here all dress up in formalwear to mark their prominent status,” gushes the agent.

The agent then unlocks the door and shows us around the room, which must be done by standing on the only bit of available floor space, which also happens to be the bed.

The tiny cupboard-sized unit is adorned with paintings, decorations and candles, and the agent is quick to explain all its exemplary features: “The white walls help give a sense of spaciousness”; “The windowsill is made of international class marble”; “To maintain a high degree of cleanliness, the toilet is set in the common area outside the room”.

However, before you get too excited and start handing in your notice at you current place, be warned that this unit is for show purposes only. Actual rental potential should be based on the windowless, decoration-free hovel next door, we’re told.

Yep, sounds about right. Did someone say this is supposed to be satire?

http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2015/07/14/viral-satire-video-showcases-hong-kongs-tiny-sub-divided-flats-estate-agent-style

Analysts warn of state-driven bubble in ‘twisted’ market

Cheung Kai-cheong says recent one-way measures that only favor the upside have shaken investor confidence. Photo: RTHK

HomeBusinessMarketsCapital Markets

Foreign investors may take a year to regain confidence in Chinese stocks after government intervention to stop a rout twisted market fundamentals.

Recent one-way measures by the government that only favor the upside have shaken investor confidence, Cheung Kai-cheong, CITIC CLSA Capital Market Ltd. general manager for China research, was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong Economic Journal.

The Shanghai Composite Index may hover around 3,300 to 4,500 points in the short run after a ban on short selling, coupled with increased margin financing.

However, the longer term prospects for the stock market depends on how well the government exits these supportive measures, he said.

Eddy Loh, an equity strategist for Asia and the Middle East of Barclays Global Investment, warned of a government-driven market bubble which could impact both domestic and foreign investors.

[Chinese version中文版]

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Legionnaires case adds to panic at Kai Ching Estate

Kai Ching Estate residents in Kowloon City take water from temporary water pipes after lead contamination at some facilities. Photo: HKEJ

HomeHong KongLocal

Hong Kong announced on Monday a case of Legionnaires’ disease at a public housing estate that was recently at the center of a controversy related to lead contamination in water, RTHK reported.

A 72-year-old man living at Moon Ching House at Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City has been sent to an intensive care unit after being diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, the report said.

Authorities are said to have detected Legionella bacteria in the old man’s kitchen, shower head and bathroom.

A resident surnamed Tung, who has been living at Moon Ching House for six months, said she was unimpressed with the government’s handling of the case.

She alleged that authorities delayed the announcement despite knowing about the case in May itself.

Tung said she is worried that the Legionella bacteria might have spread via water pipes. The water contamination fears are prompting her to wonder whether she should go to a relative’s place somewhere else to take her showers, she said.

Another resident, a person who gave her surname as Yeung, said she was shocked to hear one problem after another at a newly constructed public housing building.

Legislator Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said she was disappointed with the government’s failure to explain, at a Monday press conference, the cause of water contamination at the housing estate.

She slammed the government for not making public its investigation reports, saying the lack of transparency has created panic. In other comments, Leung urged government departments to arrange for some professionals to attend to the needs of the residents of Kai Ching Estate.

Frederick Fung Kin-kee, a lawmaker from the Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People’s Livelihood, said his party had in June submitted to the Housing Department test reports on suspected sub-standard water faucets at Kai Ching Estate.

As there has been no response from the government, the party decided to file an official complaint to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Fung said.

Fung also criticized the administration over arrangements for handing out bottled water to some estate residents. Everyone should be entitled to safe water, he said, calling on authorities not to be selective in their relief efforts.

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Leung claims ally in top China legislator

Leung Chun-ying says he will focus on economic and livelihood issues in the remaining two years of his administration. Photo: CNSA

HomeHong KongLocal

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is claiming support from China’s top legislator, saying the senior official “is very satisfied” with his administration.

Leung made the remark Monday after a meeting with National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang.

It was Leung’s first meeting with a senior Chinese official since a Beijing-inspired election reform plan for Hong Kong was vetoed by the Legislative Council last month.

Zhang “highly approved” of Leung’s work and that of his government, the unpopular Hong Kong leader was quoted as saying by Ming Pao Daily.      

However, the official Xinhua news agency did not mention the meeting in a 400-word article published Monday evening.

Also, it did not say if the central government continues to support Leung’s administration.

The article did mention Leung’s comments on the economy.

It quoted him as saying the Hong Kong government will shift its focus to economic and livelihood issues in the remaining two years of his administration.

He said Hong Kong could play an important role in China’s ambitious project to build an Asia-Europe economic corridor, dubbed “One Belt, One Road”.

Also, Leung said he received a positive response in recent talks with pan-democrats who were responsible for the defeat of the election reform bill.

He expressed hope pan-democrats will work with the government and drop their campaign of non-cooperation.

Leung dismissed reports he will step down in January, saying Hong Kong media is used to spreading rumors.

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Kowloon estate in lead contamination scare is a mixed news story

Hu Jintao (left) waves to a crowd during a 2012 visit. Right photo shows Li Tak-yan with a gun to his head outside a flat window during a standoff with the police. Photos: Apple Daily, i-Cable

HomeHong KongLocal

Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City has been in the news after it was reported that its residents may have been drinking lead-contaminated water.

The contamination in what has been hailed as Hong Kong’s first green development is being blamed for an outbreak legionellosis, a water-borne disease which has stricken a 62-year-old female resident.

But this is not the first time the estate, one of the first residential projects in the former Kai Tak airport, has hogged the limelight.

In June 2012, then Chinese President Hu Jintao praised its concept and design during a visit with Donald Tsang, then Hong Kong chief executive, as part of the handover celebrations.

A month later, the first buildings were completed, with a new supply of 5,000 units for 13,000 residents, the first batch of whom began moving in just weeks later.

But in June 2014, a deadly shooting shocked the estate.

Li Tak-yan, 51, was found dead in his flat after a standoff with the police.

He apparently killed himself after fatally shooting 43-year-old air-conditioning technician Liu Kai-chung the night before.

It was later revealed that Li was the father of starlet Liddy Li, who was in the news over a scandal involving a married film director. [See here]

On July 12, a mainlander was arrested after she attacked her husband with a knife during an argument.  

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Cross-departmental task force to handle water probe

A task force comprising officials from various government departments will check water-related infrastructure at Kai Ching Estate amid a lead contamination scare. Photos: Bloomberg, Commercial Radio

HomeHong KongLocal

The government is setting up a cross-departmental task force to look into water safety issues following the discovery of excessive levels of lead in water supplied to some units at a public housing estate in the city.

The task force, which will be led by a deputy director of the Water Supplies Department, will inspect the copper pipes, compression release valves, water taps and other infrastructure at Kai Ching Estate, RTHK reported.

According to the Housing Authority, about half of the bathrooms and one-sixth of the kitchens, in terms of numbers, in the estate were constructed with modular and prefabricated building materials supplied from China.

The department admitted that checks were not carried on lead levels when receiving the materials.

China State Construction International Holdings (03311.HK), the main contractor of Kai Ching Estate, said on its website that half of the construction work at the public housing estate was completed using modular and prefabricated buildings materials supplied by its unit Shenzhen Hailong Building Products Co. 

However, the company did not say if the modular materials included bathrooms and kitchens that come with water pipes, Ming Pao reported.

The construction firm mentioned in its corporate publications in March that it had pioneered the unprecedented use of 6,200 prefabricated kitchens and bathrooms modules in Hong Kong at a project in the Kai Tak area.

China State Construction has yet to officially respond to the lead contamination controversy at Kai Ching Estate since the news surfaced eight days ago. A spokesperson was however quoted as saying that the firm will cooperate in the government investigation.

Director of Housing Stanley Ying Yiu-hong said the Housing Authority has the legal rights to pin responsibility on the main contractor if any lapses are uncovered.

China State was first registered in Hong Kong in 1979 and it was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2005.

The company has won many large-scale construction projects, including the Kai Ching Estate, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road and Central-Wan Chai Bypass trunk road.

A licensed plumber, Lam Tak-sum, who was named by the government as holding some responsibility in the tainted water scare, said on Monday that he was being made a scapegoat.

The plumber stressed that he was only responsible for the water pipes from the streets to the water tanks of Kai Ching Estate.

Enoch Lam Tin-sing, Director of Water Supplies, has said that Lam Tak-sum was responsible for some of the water pipes inside the public housing units.

Lam Tak-sum’s company had also handled water pipe work at the Lung Yat Estate, Cheung Sha Wan Estate, Shui Chuen O Estate, Kwai Luen Estate, Wu Yee Sun College Hostel of the CUHK and Kowloon City Government Offices.

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Youth satisfaction levels over government down sharply: survey

The government's poor response to pro-democracy protests contributed to a sharp rise in dissatisfaction levels among Hong Kong youth. Photo: Reuters

HomeHong KongLocal

Satisfaction levels among Hong Kong youth over the government’s performance have dropped sharply over the past year, according to a survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Among the 28 indicators covered in the Youth Quality of Life Index from the Chinese University’s Centre for Quality of Life, the index on government performance evaluation saw the biggest fall — 18.08 percent — compared to the previous year.

The index was compiled based on interviews with over 1,000 young people aged between 15 and 24.

A sub-index of “perceived impact on policy” and “satisfaction with youth policy” saw scores drop by 4.05 percent and 4.18 percent respectively, Ming Pao reported.

Wong Hung, director of the Centre for Quality of Life, was quoted as saying that young people made the evaluation based on the government’s record in relation to the Occupy movement and a poverty alleviation campaign.

The government can’t govern well without securing the support of the younger generation, he said.

In the domain of economics, the index of current economic conditions was up 8 percent, but the score on youngsters’ perceived development opportunity was down 1.77 percent.

The figures suggest that more young people are getting frustrated about their prospects amid a growing wealth gap.

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Transgenders to get leeway in CUHK physical education classes

Chinese University is addressing the needs of transgender students on issues related to physical education classes. Photo: tpyc.edu.hk

HomeHong KongLocal

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will put in place a special arrangement for physical education classes to take care of the needs of transgender students, Ming Pao Daily reported.

While physical education is required for all freshmen at the university, so far they were allowed to take classes only as part of a group of the same gender. The arrangement has led to dissatisfaction among transgender students who do not recognize their birth gender.

Through efforts of the Sex and Gender Concern Group formed by CUHK students, the school administration has now agreed to offer special physical education arrangement from the next school year that begins in September.

Students who can provide medical certificates issued by doctors to prove they suffer from gender identity disorder will be allowed to take physical courses that do not separate male from female, regardless of whether they have completed sex reassignment surgeries or not, a spokeswoman for the group was quoted as saying.

She said it had been a matter of concern that some youth were refusing to enroll at CUHK due to issues related to physical education. Realizing that the problem needs to be resolved, the group began communicating with the school administration in November last year with an aim to improve the system.

A spokesman from CUHK was quoted as saying that special physical education was originally designed for those with physical disabilities.

Transgender students can now join voluntarily any group without fear of their sex identity being disclosed, the spokesman said.

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Hong Kong mulls replacing water pipes after excessive lead found

By Roland Lim, Hong Kong Bureau Chief,Channel NewsAsia

POSTED: 13 Jul 2015 21:22   UPDATED: 13 Jul 2015 21:50

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HONG KONG: Hong Kong is mulling over replacing the water pipes of thousands of public housing estate flats across the city after excessive amounts of lead were found in some water samples taken from the Kai Ching estate in Kowloon City.

Substandard pipes and taps have been blamed, as the government continues its investigations.

A mother-of-three living in the affected public housing estate in Kowloon City is confused and fearful that her family's health would be affected. Two to three times a day, Mrs Yu has to run downstairs to get drinking water after the water supply in her estate was found to have excessive levels of lead.

One water sample taken was found to contain 35.1 micrograms of lead per litre of water, which is three-and-a-half times the safe level recommended by the World Health Organization.

"The most important thing now is to keep the baby safe. With the water problem now, we can't let the baby drink it. Since my pregnancy ... I was drinking the tap water. I won't let him drink it now," said Mrs Yu.

Mrs Yu had her baby around the time she moved into the then newly-built estate, and is worried about the long-term effects on her children.

She said the situation was "very badly handled. It's been two years and it's only now you're telling us that there's a problem with the water. We don't know what to do. We have very little faith in the tap water and are worried it's not safe."

Residents are now given free bottled water, with priority to children, pregnant women and the elderly, who are told not to drink from the taps. Meanwhile, authorities have built seven new water outlets, pumping out fresh water on demand for the residents.

The Department of Health also stressed that levels of lead found represent no significant health risk unless it is consumed over a lifetime.

The government meanwhile is following up on two avenues of possible lead contamination. One is the faucets supplied by local company Tin Fat Plastic International, while the other is a licensed government plumber Lam Tak-sum, who has also done work in four other housing estates - in the districts of Tuen Mun, Sha Tin, Cheung Sha Wan and Kwai Shing.

The issue could potentially affect tens of thousands of residents.

Hong Kong Director of Housing Stanley Ying said: "We do have a system of quality control, involving different levels of checks, etc. All these checks will ultimately have to rely on the contractor, who has to deliver those things according to specifications.

"We cannot do our checks to the extent that every time the worker is doing some soldering, a Housing Department staff is assigned beside him to oversee that. It's not possible."

Public housing residents and politicians are also putting pressure on the government to conduct checks on tap water across all estates in the territory. 

- CNA/al

How support for a Chinese rights lawyer could have led to crackdown

POSTED: 13 Jul 2015 23:05   UPDATED: 14 Jul 2015 01:15

Human rights lawyer Wang Yu talks during an interview with Reuters in Beijing in this March 1, 2014 photo. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

BEIJING: China's state media last month accused Wang Yu, the country's most prominent female human rights lawyer, of "blabbering about the rule of law and human rights".

Two weeks later, she met a Reuters reporter, saying she thought her arrest was inevitable.

Wang has defended Wu Gan, an online free speech advocate, Li Tingting, a prominent rights activist, and Cao Shunli, an activist who died in detention after being denied medical treatment.

In doing so, Wang became the focus of an unprecedented crackdown on human rights lawyers in China.

Although the government has not disclosed the reason for the crackdown, lawyers say the widespread support for Wang in the rights community appeared to be the catalyst.

State media said on Saturday police had criminally detained Wang and some colleagues. Four lawyers taken in for questioning said police had warned them not to advocate for Wang, according to accounts by them and other activists.

The rights group Amnesty International said 101 lawyers and activists, including Wang, were targeted by police in a nationwide sweep.

Police have said Fengrui Law Firm, the firm that Wang works for, is a "major criminal organisation" that served as a coordinating "platform" involved in dozens of sensitive cases since 2012, the People's Daily, the Communist Party mouthpiece, said on Saturday.

Nine of Wang's colleagues had been detained, according to Amnesty.

The Ministry of Public Security did not respond to a faxed request for comment.

PRESSING FOR RULE OF LAW

China has consistently cracked down on rights lawyers but the current campaign was unprecedented both in terms of numbers and the way it has been carried out, said Eva Pils, a China law expert at King's College London.

"Previously, it was much more covered, it was much less open, and the reason why people are saying this is a bit 'Cultural Revolution-style' is because it's so public," Pils said, referring to a 1966-1976 campaign that convulsed the country in chaos and violence after then leader Mao Zedong declared class war.

The last two years under President Xi Jinping's administration have been marked by a sweeping crackdown on dissidents and activists.

Wang, a soft-spoken woman who started her career in commercial law, said the Xinhua state news commentary in which she has accused of "blabbering" was a "smear campaign" and she was "mentally prepared" to be taken into custody.

"If they want to arrest me, then they will arrest me. There's nothing to be worried about," Wang said in the interview with Reuters.

She gave a list of people to contact in the event of her detention. Three of the five, including her husband, were summoned by police over the weekend.

Wang said she started becoming interested in "rights defence" in 2008 after she was assaulted by unidentified men at a railway station in the city of Tianjin.

In 2010, a Tianjin court sent her to prison for three years on a charge of "intentional assault". The sentence was later reduced to two-and-a-half years.

"After my miscarriage of justice, I had a clearer recognition of the system," Wang said. "So I wanted to improve China's human rights system through the legal system and push for the rule of law."

Fengrui Law Firm is known for its defence of petitioners - people who approach authorities over grievances like land disputes - and public interest cases. Many of the lawyers taken away by authorities had worked on cases related to petitioners.

"Impactful public interest litigation and legal aid to vulnerable citizens is the genuine contribution of Fengrui lawyers to modern civil society and the development of rule of law," the firm says on its website.

Experts say the backdrop to the crackdown is a growing number of rights lawyers posing a challenge to the ruling Communist Party. Pils estimated there were 350 rights lawyers compared with about a dozen in 2004.

"I think the reality is that the activism on legal issues is also getting bigger," said Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty's East Asia director. "Every time you try to put the genie back in the bottle, you have to round up a greater number of people."

(Additional reporting by Megha Rajagopalan; Editing by Robert Birsel)

- Reuters

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Chinese police kill three 'Xinjiang terrorists' in northeast city

POSTED: 14 Jul 2015 02:01

File photo of Chinese paramilitary police officers standing guard outside a shopping mall in Hotan, in China's western Xinjiang region. (AFP PHOTO/Greg BAKER)

BEIJING: Police in northeastern China on Monday (Jul 13) killed three knife-wielding "terrorists" from Xinjiang, the mainly Muslim region in the far west, who attacked officers, local authorities said.

One other assailant described as a 28-year-old woman was injured in Liaoning, said a notice posted on a verified provincial government social media account.

Shenyang, the Liaoning capital where the incident happened, is almost 3,000 kilometres from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, which has seen sporadic violence in recent years blamed by authorities on Islamist terrorists.

The restive region is home to most of China's 10 million Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority, who rights groups say face religious and cultural discrimination.

Fatal incidents outside Xinjiang, but linked to the violence in the region, are rare. In one such incident, according to authorities, three people from a Xinjiang family crashed their car into crowds in Tiananmen Square, the symbolic heart of the Chinese state, killing themselves and two visitors in October 2013, raising the spectre of spreading violence.

In March 2014, 31 people were knifed to death by "Xinjiang separatists" in a mass stabbing at a train station in Kunming in the southwest, with four attackers killed.

All four alleged attackers in Shenyang were described as "Xinjiang terrorists", with the woman, whose name was given phonetically as Amanguli Maititusong, identified as a Uighur.

There were no other injuries, casualties or "effects on society", said a police notice on the province's official Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like website. Three children who were with the attackers were removed by police, it added.

'STRIKE HARD' CAMPAIGN

Clashes between authorities and alleged Islamist separatists - as well as attacks killing civilians - have spread in recent years, both in Xinjiang and outside it.

Rights groups say Uighurs suffer from religious repression and discrimination. Authorities have tightly restricted independent reporting on these incidents in the past.

Beijing launched a "strike hard" campaign in the province just over a year ago after an attack on a train station in Urumqi as Chinese President Xi Jinping was visiting the city.

Police had been conducting a drive against "terrorism" in Shenyang since Jun 12 and had already arrested 16 people by Monday when police visited the house where the four people were living, the notice said. The four adults attacked police with knives and blunt objects while "shouting jihadist slogans", according to the police.

Photos posted on Sina Weibo showed security forces on rooftops with rifles and a man being carried through the streets on a stretcher. Others showed another man with a deep gash in his cheek and blood on the ground. The veracity of the photos could not be independently confirmed by AFP.

More than 200 people died last year in violence either in or traced back to Xinjiang, according to media reports. But the vast majority of incidents are confined to Xinjiang itself.

China said in May 181 "violent terror gangs" across the country had been busted as part of the "strike hard" campaign. Scores of people have been sentenced to death as part of the drive, while hundreds have been jailed or detained on terror-related offences.

Authorities have also targeted religious practices, such as the wearing of veils, which activists say has created an atmosphere of repression and led to violence.

China defends its policies, arguing that it has boosted economic development in the area and that it upholds minority and religious rights in a country with 56 recognised ethnic groups.

- AFP/de

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/asiapacific/chinese-police-kill-three/1982118.html