The Correspondent, November 1992

NOVEMIìER 1992

CONTENTS COVER 4 Predicting the future

an

Malaysia's outspoken leader, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was guest speaker at the Club last month where he covered a wide range of subjects close to his heart. Karl \üilson reports on his address while former Far Eastern Economic Review editor, Philip Bowring, looks at the man often referred to as the "Voice of the Third World".

The thoughts of Dr M

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NE\ryS AND VIEWS Anand: The incorrigible optimist An edited version of the former Thai Prime Minister's luncheon address to the FCC.

2

10

It's never too late to change Martin Lee on the Govemor's October 7 address to the people of Hong Kong.

11

Hong Kong's coming of age Britain's leader of the Liberal Democrats, Paddy Ashdown, looks at the future of Hong Kong under Chris Patten.

20

Looking to the future As one of the most senior Hong Kong officials responsible for the Government's financial policy, David Nendick believes the territory's future is secure.

23

Flash Gordon Gordon Wu one of the territory's leading businessmen on Hong Kong, China and the aþort.

25

OBITUARY: Merv Haworth I9l8-I992

26

BOOK REVIEW: Karl \ù/ilson reviews Friedemann Bartu's bookThe UgIy Japanese.

28 14

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THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

1

Anand: The incorrigible optimist former Prime Minister of Thailand, Anand Panyarachun, was the guest speaker at a luncheon at the Club on October 13. This is an edited version of his address.

The

teers, and even as candidates.

This increased panicipation will ensure that the country's political institu-

tions become more effective, more credible, and more prepared to serve

into proper perspective. Every crisis, no matter how tragic, contains the seeds of positive change. lt is the duty of all Thai

the best interests of the people.

The outcome of the recent election provides cause for optimism. Voter turnout rose from 50 to about 62%, one of the highest in the country's history.

Even in Bangkok, which has traditionally shown considerable political apathy, the turnout rose from 42lo 47o/o a figure which still leaves room for im-

people to ensure that the loss of life, trauma and suffering of May will not

comparable to many other democratic

have been in vain.

societies.

n contemplating the political tur-

moil in Thailand over the past year, it is essential to put things

Although I am often accused of being too much of a realist, I remain an incor-

-

provement but which is nonetheless

With regard to the representatives

rigible optimist where Thailand and its future is concerned. I believe the past

Anand Panyarachun

two years have clearly demonstrated

a handful of technocrats and academ-

that Thai society is undergoing an evolutionary process which has now acquired a momentum of its own. The dynamics of power in the country have

ics in ivory towers.

During our limited time in office, my government devoted considerable effort to promoting democracy and an orderly political process. We endeavoured to generate widespread public interest in the democratic system by ÂĄnviting people from all walks of life to

changed drastically and the power equation has been fundamentally altered. New forces have emerged, and the new actors are firmly established as major figures on the political scene.

At the beginning of my first term in office, I stated that one of the major items on my government's policy agenda

was "to build a firm and stable foundation for a genuine democratic system that will be sustainable, take root, and flourish."

To this end, my administrations tried to lead by example, striving to be a government that was transparent, accountable, and responsible to the needs of the people. At the same time, great emphasis was placed on raising political awareness so that democratic aspirations could be shared by the general public- and not remain the preserve of

2

become involved in the political process leading up to the election. To this end, some 70,000 volunteers were recruited to serve in PollWatch, an institution established to monitor the fairness of the elections. Pollwatch not only performed its assigned task, but also serued to stimulate greater political consciousness at the grass-roots level.

I have confidence that most of those who took the plunge into the political arena will not turn their backs on the whole process now that the election is over. They will remain interested and involved in democracy during the years ahead, contributing in different ways as pafty members, obseruers, volun-

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

-

who were elected, one can observe a discernible qualitative difference. The election injected a fair amount of new blood into the Thai political system. Of the nearly 2,500 candidates contesting theelection, morethan 1,0Ăš0were below the age of 40. And of the 360 elected MPs in the House of Representatives, more than a quarter will be sitting in the house for the first time.

Even so,

I believe most of the old

faces who may have misbehaved in the past are politically astute enough to adiust themselves to the new political

environment. Since the election, they have generally conducted themselves properly and with more common sense

than was the case in the past. The improved conduct on the part of political pafties and MPs reflects an attempt to regain the confidence of the people.

Whether such changes are permanent or not remains to be seen, but at least for the time being they represent a move in the right direction.

There are a number of factors which

indicate that democracy in Thailand is evolving in a healthy and positive manner. A few examples are:

Every crisis, no matter how tragic, contains the seeds of positive change. * The election campaign this time was issue-orientated, in contrast to the personalattacks and mud-slinging so prevalent in the past. The government's policy of providing full media exposure to the political parties encouraged politicians

to stick to the issues and present

ra-

tional platforms for the consideration of

the people.

* For the first time in Thailand's political

history, there was no contest in the election for the speaker of the House; this is a new phenomenon in Thai poli-

understanding of the true essence of

democracy in Thailand is emerging.

sation of trade, taxes and financial markets. We pushed ahead many of the

Before the elections, I optimistically stated

long-delayed infrastructure projects

that we are beginning to see the evolution of a social contract between those who are governed and those who govern. My cautious optimism has been vindicated.

I have no illusions that the road to democracy in Thailand will be an easy one. However, significant strides have been taken. ln the initial policy statement of my

tics although it is fairly common practice in most mature democratic societies. * The formation of the new coalition government was completed fairly swiftly, with little of the squabbling over ministerial portfolios characteristic of previous

first administration, we set forth an ambitious programme to build a firm

efforts. *A total of four non-elected "outsiders" were appointed to key positions in the new government in order to provide the necessary expeftise in areas in which the political parties felt they were lack-

realised during our shorl time in office.

Nonetheless, we were determined to make a beginning. ln retrospect, I believe we can look back at our accomplishments of the past 'l 7 months with a modest amount of pride.

We were able to redirect the econ-

ing. ln previous elected administrations, such appointments would have been almost unthinkable since politicians would have been determined to divide the ministerial pie only among themselves.

On balance, I believe a more mature

foundation for Thailand's development for the remainder of the decade. We were fully aware that many of the goals

we set out to achieve could not be

omy back towards levels of macroeconomic stability and growth that would be the envy of most nations. We accelerated and initiated reforms and liberali-

necessary to support economic and social

development.

We increased the transparency of government decision-making and decentralised many government f unctions

to the regional areas. We put in place the most far-reaching environmental regulations in East Asia.

Many of these reforms and initiatives will have a lasting effect on Thai society, and will serye as a foundation for strong economic, political and social development in the future. ln the end, I hope that people will see my government as one which managed to steer the ship of state safely through

one of the most tumultuous periods in Thai history.

Anand Panyarachun was appointed Thailand's 1 9th Prime Minister on March

2, 1991 . He was again appointed Pilme Minister on June 10, 1991 and served untÂĄl the elections on September 13. He returned to the private sector where he is chairman of Saha Union Corporation.

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

3

COVER STORY "For them ASEAN was seen as a mechanism to resolve political and military confrontations between member states.

"True, ASEAN has had its ups and downs and their were times when even the leaders of ASEAN became quite cynical about it. But ASEAN has not only sulived, it has become one of the

lndonesian island of Batam.

Dubbed the Caribbean of the East, businessmen are in the processing of pouring billions of dollars into the area to convert it into a tourist mecca.

A second growth triangle is

being

mooted for the north of Malaysia con-

necting the northern province of the lndonesian island of Sumatra and a

most dynamic regional groupings in the world today. "lt cannot be an accident that the members of ASEAN are today economically healthy."

"lt is also a reaction to the failure of

GATT and the protectionist tendencies of NAFTA and the single European market.

"The EAEC will not be a formal grouping like ASEAN nor will it be a trade bloc like the EC or NAFTA. lt will be dedicated to free trade and can not be protectionist by giving its members preferential treatment in intra-regional trade," he said.

"The chief objective of the EAEC will be to provide a strong voice for

Mahathir said ASEAN had sucneighbouring states, although he did admit that the potential for conflict still existed.

"The point is, conflicts have not been allowed to flare up and get out of hand. lnstead conflicts are controlled through negotiation. Even when they are not resolved," he said, "there are no open confrontations.

"The ASEAN region today is an area of peace and stability and these

are essential or

Predicting the future live Kessler in Fragmented Vision, Culture and Politics in Contemporary Malaysia described Mahathir as "a later day Malaysian Ataturk ... a man in a hurry, an impatient moderniser: a man with a clear vision of doing, achieving, realising, not merely preserving and maintaining."

Less kindly, a former political foe said:

"The prime minister, like the doctor he is, believes in prescribing strong medicine. The problem is he is crass, rough and hard. This man pushed things down

your throat."

Mahathir's political obituary has been written many times and every time he was about to be buried, the good doctor bounced back with reports of his death being greatly exaggerated.

Helped by a passive media, although

he maintained the media is free to report what it likes as long as it does not break the law, Mahathir presides over a

4

Dr Mahøthir Mohaina¡l has been Prime Minister of Malaysiafor more thnn l0 years. In that time Malaysia has grownfrom being a quiet baclcwater to one of the fastest growing countries in Southeast Asia. Much of the credit has to go to Dr Mahathir who addressed the Club on October 14. Karl Wíßon reports on the address while Philip Bowring gives a personal view of Dr Mahathir. fragmented countrywhere even his own

United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is deeply divided.

Mahathir is quick to brush aside criticism of his style of government and

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER T992

f

economic

development.But what is more im-

portant is the fact that nations in

denies suggestions that he has taken on the role of Third World spokesman.

A leading advocate for greater regional co-operation, he has proposed the establishment of an East Asian Economic Community (EAEC) to create closer economic ties between the countries in East Asia.

He denies, however, that he is seeking to create an East Asian trade bloc which will eventually incorporate China and Japan China to act as a counter balance to Japanese economic domination of the region and China to provide the market.

-

But why create another regional group-

ing? What is wrong with the existing structure of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)?

'ASEAN,' he says "is one of the world's most successful regional groupings. But economic development was not on the minds of the founding fathers

of ASEAN.

ASEAN have learnt something from each other. That is to say, if a member becomes successful through a ASEAN is a dynamic grouping. pafticular policy or approach, it is likely the others will follow. lf a member number of southern provinces in Thaiis hurt by a policy, the others will be less

land.

inclined to follow suit.

"So, very early on the ASEAN nations decided to concentrate on the develop-

Mahathir says the growth triangles will "complement" the forward integration of ASEAN and eventually pave the way for other Southeast Asian nations to join such as Vietnam, Burma, Laos and Cambodia.

"There is no doubt the new members of ASEAN will gain from the economic

ment of their states rather than waste their time on confrontational politics

regional or international," Mahathir said.

He said that it was interesting to note

that none of the ASEAN states had chosen to go down the socialist path. 'îlow privatisation is universally popular with them. As a result, the ASEAN countries have developed almost uniformly. Only when international politics interferes will an ASEAN country slow down."

Mahathir has been a strong advocate of regional growth triangles connecting

ASEAN countries. The first of these growth triangles connects Singapore, the Malaysian state of Johor and the

As far back as 1 970 South Korea had proposed the establishment of an Asian common market and in 1988 Japan proposed an Asian network.

Mahathir says, with some satisfaction, that the concept of an East Asian Economic Community "is nothing

new".

ceeded in reducing conflict between

Mahathir often - and with leeling - prescribes strong medicine.

increasingly concerned by the demise of GATT and the poweñul trade blocs posed by Europe and North America.

advances already made," Mahathir said.

"The economic strategies which made the ASEAN six Brunei, lndonesia,

-

Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand

successful will be applied to the new members. .There is every chance thatthe ASEAN 10 will develop into a dynamic regional

-

Whether or not it will evolve into a trade bloc is anyone's guess at the moment. Asian states are becoming

the East Asian nations in trade negotiations with the rest of the world."

Mahathir said it had been obvious for a long time that no one respects the voice of developing countries like Malaysia let alone groups like ASEAN. "But a regional forum with China and Japan, together with ASEAN will have'much greater clout if they speak with one voice," he said.

Mahathir has indicated that the EAEC would be opened to include China and

Japan.

He accused the United States, however, of preventing the EAEC from coming

into being.

"The US is good attell¡ng other people what to do but not what the US is doing," Mahathir said.

"The EAEC has no intention of becoming a regional trade bloc such as NAFTA. The US always insists on being part of any Asian-Pacific regional group.

"lf

being on the shores of a vast ocean qualifies one to be a member of a regional group then the US should be a member of the EC because it also sits

on the Atlantic Rim as well. "l once suggested there was a racist element in their attitude. .lf the EAEC were allowed to be formed it would result not only in maintaining

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

5

free trade but economic development of less developed economies."

Mahathir said the market of East and Southeast Asia cannot be ignored. "This market of 1.8 billion people may not be as developed as the industrialised coun-

tries but just look at the figures,"

he

said.

"The buying power of 1.8 billion, even if per capita income is a quafter of that in the EC and NAFTA, is enormous.

"Perhaps the US is afraid of Japan dominating such a group posing a threat to the US." Mahathir has often accused the US of putting pressure on Japan not to get involve in regional groupings.

So what of the future?

"lt is hard to predict the future

Mahathir, ultimately, is apragmatist

be-

"Voice of the Third World", as he has

internal and external factors. lnternally,

been billed, mostly by fellow Malay-

there is the fact that he has been in power now for more than 11 years, which makes him not only the longest lasting Malaysian prime minister but quite high up in the world survivalist

sians? Or "A mini Sukarno", as he has been disparagingly described by a senior

minister of a neighbouring country. The

two descriptions are in a sense two aspects of the same complex character.

Yes, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad fancies himself as spokesman for the Third World as Sukarno was in

1986/87. And he survived

a

massive

1989. As a result of the first victory

in

he is now unchallengeable at home. And the second, far from slowing him down, seems to have hastened his desire to make his mark upon the world.

Once, it was assumed that, in the way of his predecessor, a combination of illness and of his party's tradition of early

"Journalists are always making dire predictions about every-

-

\*d .-. ''

succession he would have retired al-

thing. I remember, some years ago, a

ready. But the betting now is that he will want to die in the off ice rather than hand over power while he still has goals unfulfilled.

Meanwhile, openings are appearing for a wider role. Lee Kuan Yew is still

popular international weekly magazine said

thenew Hondamini 'now Honda knows

of

making motorcycles'.

Mahathir on the campaign tra¡l in 1990.

ously felt Honda was

not going anywhere. And in the same magazine a journalist said the port of

Yes, at times he seems to reflect the same thin-skinned resentments of the

Rotterdam was wasting too much money on containerisation because'it can't catch

older, richer world; to indulge in rhetoric divorced from reality; to enjoy being undiplomatic; to seek headlines not consensus. But Mahathir is also articu-

on'.

"Malaysia has had its fair share of dire predictions from race riots, economic collapse and that the government would fall.

"Others have said that while all of East Asia will grow Malaysia will not make the transition to hi-tech because 20o/o ol its students fail maths.

"The critics are right. When Malaysians add two and two together they get 8.8% growth. lt's OK to fail maths."

late and sharp tongued rather than

iHAfLr' 6e Bø',<E

caste himself in the role of regional spokesman. This should have fallen to Suharlo who has been in office almost twice as long as Mahathir. But Suharto prefers the aloof style, has poor Eng-

Coleridge Cole & Robertson 20e'sherr!"i'"Tl3tu'2r9ie"l;-?gãicentrar'HonsKons

lish, is not a natural speaker and has no

demagogic, his ideas are often, if crudely put, farsighted and, though dogmatic,

taste for being confrontational.

Mahathir had other diverse forums which he exploited successfully. There

he is ultimately a pragmatist who

is

was the Commonwealth, once despised

unlikely to let emotion get in the way of economic growth, or himself to get carried away with his own self-importance.

Mahathir's emergence on the international stage is a rather recent development. Only with hindsight can one conclude that there was any inevitability about it. lt has been the result of both

but capable of being put to advantage.

There was the lslamic world. He found

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

itsrfttç-t-lr8 ol

around, giving more speeches and interviews than ever. But his departure from the prime ministership created an opening for another prime minister to

making cars is not like

6

Musa Hitam and Tunku Razaleigh in

heart attack and by-pass surgery

his time.

cause one can be so wrong. But still one has to have an idea of the future if one is to do anything in the present," he said.

The magazine obvi-

league.

Mahathir survived revolts against him by his two erstwhile cabinet colleagues,

he could straddle the rapidly developing

East Asia, which never had much truck with Third Worldism, with the more traditional anti-colonial sentiments of the people -- particularly the indigenous, non-Chinese of Southeast Asia and be-

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The thoughts of Dr. M

Japan will have no choice but to join.

Theenvironment We have learned a lot about your West) mistakes. What we are talking about now is not the past but the pres-

Restrictions on correspondents

a day but it does not mean you must

ent.

We don't place restrictions on correspondents. All we have insisted upon is that journalists wear their name tag

pray when the situation doesn't permit you to pray or face Mecca. I can pray sitting in my seat on an aeroplane if I like. Malaysia is a multi-racial society.

when covering journalistic events for security reasons. I wear my name tag all the time just in case people forget who their prime minister is.

Australia's role in the East Asian

Economic Community (EAEC) Australia and New Zealand are not part of East Asia. The EAEC is a grouping of countries that share a common culture and have certain things in common. Australia and New Zealand have been asked to join the North American

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) because of their cultural identity. I know that is not a satisfactory answer but I can't satisfy Australians anyway.

Kelantan and lslamic law We have always had lslamic law and abided by its teachings. ln Kelantan we have extremists wanting to chop off people's heads, hands and feet. The

You can't just stan chopping off the heads, hands and feet of Muslims because that would handicap them in a multi-racial society. You would have to do it to everyone. What is happening in Kelantan is that there are a bunch of extremists who don't understand their own religion ... extremists don't understand anything anyway. I am not going toallowthemtostartchopp¡ng off people's limbs... thatwould mean a lotof crutches for the state to suppon.

Excluding the US from the EAEC The same reason the European Community excludes us and NAFTA excludes us ... you have to trade with your neighbours on an equal footing. I doubt whether the US would like to join a grouping which included Japan. lf you

is going to sell very cheap, high quatity products in the US. When you form a trade grouping you can exclude people.

Now NAFTA is looking at including Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Why not Japan? Why doesn'tthe whole world form a trade bloc ... wasn't that what GATT was all about to reduce barriers? The US can't be a member of

the EAEC because it's a member of another trade bloc.

Japan and the EAEC The best selling point is that if Japan doesn't join it will be out in the cold whether Japan likes it or not. There is NAFTA and EC and these exclude Japan.

At some stage Japan is going to find its

markets shrinking. The only way for Japan to open up these markets is to have some backing of a regional grouping. Sentiments are bad against Japan.

At one time it was making cheap products which no one bothered about. Then

Japan started to make high quality

You tell us not to cut down our trees but are you cutting back on the number of cars you are producing?

Why should we maintain our forests just to absorb the poisonous gases your cars are making? lf you don't want us to cut down our trees, fine but you pay for it. We are a poor country so why ask us to do something for free. Why can't the developed countries plant trees? ln California there are beautiful green golf courses right in the middle of the desen with big lakes full of water. Why not plant trees instead? lf you want

insects and other inhabitants of the jungle, we can give them to you also.

Forests are not harmless things. They can be quite harmful. We have a lot of mosquitos and malaria. Why should we have malaria and not the developed countries ? We can give malaria to you if you want it too.

We don't have any intention of cutting

start removing tariff barriers, quotas

products which started to undermine

down all our trees. But allow us to

teachings of lslam give a lot of flexibility.

For example you have to pray five times

and duties in such a grouping, the US would have nothing to sell becauseJapan

other people's industries, who then try

to restrict your products. ln the end

exploit a certain amount. Our country is growing and houses have to be built.

yond. He could combine appeals to the Third World while showing off Malaysia as an example of what the developing world could achieve. Here now was a Tanzania, blaming the West for its fate, but doing precious little to help itself.

in East Asia. lt has the same potential function as APEC, but without the Nonh Americans.

But at a political level, EAEC meets a Mahathir need as a Third World leader to have platform whose rhetoric is antiAmerican even if the substance of Malaysian policy is rather different - - as witness, Malaysian support of the Gulf War, and the importance of US investment and markets for its electronics industry.

The exclusion of Australasia from EAEC meets an emotional need, which

This was one of the fastest growing countries in the world, preaching free markets and trade not socialism and self-reliance.

The strands of common sense, politics and emotion have come together in his East Asian Economic Community.

At one level it is farsighted and pragmatic. lf the Gatt global system breaks down, if the European Community raises more barriers to the outside world, if the

NAFTA becomes an obstacle rather than opporlunity for Asia, there will clearly be a need for some framework to main-

tain a reasonably open trading system

8

some have characterised as blatant racism. Although EAEC is normally described as an economic grouping, Mahathir told the FCC it was also "geocultural" - - hence the need to exclude Australia even though it does a significantly higher proportion if its ùade with

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

East Asia than does Malaysia.

Race is of course the stuff of Malaysian domestic politics, but many see in

Mahathir's zealotry, in this as in other fields, the mark of the outsider. Mahathir was the first Malaysian prime minister not to come from the old Malay aristocratic elite with its easy-going ways

and quiet self-assurance. Some of his critics have sought to cast him as un-

Malay due to his part lndian Muslim (from Kerala) ancestry. lndeed, his book The Malay Dilemma, which was banned in Malaysia until he became prime minister, is in a sense a statement of exasperation with Malays for being too easy-going, undynamic and thus unable to compete with Chinese and others in the modern world.

His political career has been dedicated to trying to reshape Malays, to force-

march them into the modern world through the bumiputra policy of preference and rapid economic development of the country as a whole.

Thus while maintaining the bumiputra policy he has seldom allowed it to obstruct his ambitious projects such as the Malaysian car industry. He brought in foreign investment, especially from Japan, to build the new Malaysia. At the same time he has used the process of

privatisation of state enterprises to try to create a new Malay capitalist class hopefully able to compete in time with

Natives We have the Penang people who live in the jungle. They are half naked, eat insects and monkeys and live until they are 40. Their life is not so great.

lmagineiftheRomans,whentheyoccupied Britain, told the British to stay

in

people don't understand the responsi-

bilities that go with freedom you get countries breaking up. we had evidence that there was a move in sabah to break

awayfromtheFederation.sowestopped it before it got out of control. They wanted to control immigration for ex-

their caves and not to come out because we

ample. Canyou imag-

(Romans) drinktoo much

you have to carry your passportfrom one end

ine a country where

and carouse throughout Why ShOUld we thenight.Theywouldstill ma¡nta¡n OUr be living in caves now. forests iust to rmagine the Penang absorb the peopre 3oo years from now still living in caves. POISOnOUS gases yOUf CafS afe All we are saying is let them make a compari- making? lf you son. lf they don't like the dOn't want US tO way we live fine, they CUt dOWn OUr can go backtothe jungle. trees...pay for it. china and EAEC

China is very supportive of the EAEC. They see it as a good grouping which will give China a greater say in international affairs.

Secessionist movement in Sabah Today there are a lot of countries breaking up because they don't under-

stand how democracy functions. Because you have democracy does not

to another?

Bumiputra policy You don't see this sort of policy only in Malaysia. Manyother countries give minorities special privileges.

Some define these by

lawothersdon't. Most societies make allowances for people who

are weak. Socialist societies give protection for low income earners against entrepreneurs and capitalists. ls that not discrimination? ln Malaysia we are just attempting to help people who were peasants to compete. When they can we will scrap the Bumiputra policy.

mean you can do what you like. When

ice or law, into business.

Mahathir's own predecessors had been lawyers as well as being well-born, and

thus inclined to negotiation and compromrse.

He on the other hand was a medical doctor and, like other doctors in politics,

had faith in scientific solutions. And, if need be, surgery that would either kill or cure. He clearly admired Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore with can-do attitudes and end-justifies-the means philosophy.

Though that could not be replicated in Malaysia with its traditions of pluralism, grass-roots political participation and

been met with bruising counterattacks which have left him more powerful and other Malaysian power centres weaker. ln a series of constitutional

-

battles, he has taken on the judges, the

sultans and the state governments. ln all cases reducing their power. The press

has not been entirely shackled by Singapore standards but harassed by internal security and official secrets acts and constrained by politically connected

-

-

ownership, its coverage is not what it

Some say this has merely transferred

unconfrontational social attitudes,

used to be.

Things will be different when he goes.

But admire him or loathe him, Mahathir's mark on Malaysia will be indelible. And

wealth to a f ew, politically well-connected

Mahathir's relentless energy and distaste for compromise have impressed

acy-

the Chinese.

groups who are not necessarily good capitalists. But it has had the effect of enticing upper echelon Malays, who once went mostly into government serv-

his many enemies as well as his admirers.

Every challenge to his authority has

he may yet leave an international legEAEC.

Philip Bowring

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

E 1992

9

Itts never too late to change On October 7 Hong Kong's Governor, Chris Patten, delivered his

tion to install democracy in Hong Kong well before 1997.

"Do we have democracy now?

"Are we going to have democracy on the strength of Patten's speech? "l think not," he said.

"There was one fundamental flaw in what Patten had to say and that is when he said the Governmentwas constrained by the Basic Law. 'lf you look at the Basic Law and start

from the premise that it is like the 10 Commandmentsthen noone can amend it. So what Patten has done is maximise the constraints under the Basic. Law. "But why must we be constrained by

artin Lee,QC, has spent much

of his adult life championing the cause for greater democ-

it?"

Lee said the Basic Law was promulgated just after the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989. '"|'his was a time in which we had a government in Beijing fearful of its abil-

racy in Hong Kong.

Lee has never been afraid to speak his mind, especially on matters concerning the future of the territory and its people.

Unlike others, who claim to have Hong

ity to survive. lt was at that time the

Kong's best interests at heart, Lee has

Basic Law was finalised so who in their right mindswould thinkthat Beijing woutd

never deviated from his chosen course.

His party holds 12 of the 18 directly elected Legislative Council seats making it a sort of unotficial opposition.

He has been a vocal critic of both the British and Chinese on matters concerning Hong Kong and its future. And

said. "lf we have the Court of Final Appeal, sutficient democracy and freedom of the press we should feel pretty safe.

"Of course the worse case scenario is that anything can happen."

Lee, however, questions Britain's sincerity in granting Hong Kong full democracy before the Union Jack comes down in 1997. And Patten's speech less lhan 24 hours earlier had not changed his mind.

"Was it such a good package or was it just a political front?" Lee queried.

"Certainly, by comparison with his predecessor, Lord Wilson, it was extremely good. Lord Wilson did nothing.

"What Patten outlined in his speech was what Lord Wilson should have been doing over the last five years," he said.

Lee admitted that Patten's strategy

10

anyway.

"Patten can not back down now, because if he does his own credibility will be called into question."

Lee said: "Unfortunately people tend to have short memories so what Patten had to say gave some hope, yet again.

But the democratic process is just one issue. Patten has given us hope on our education, medical and housing seruices. He has also lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. These are all good

things. But my question is this: Why were they not implemented years ago?

Why wait till now?

"We could have had full democracy years ago too if the will was there. Do you seriously think China would have

killed the goose that laid the golden egg?

"Does anyone reallythink Chinawould ruin all of this (Hong Kong) if there was democracy in Hong Kong? "l doubt it. The Red Guards had their opportunity many times and did nothing. Look at the extent of China's investment in Hong Kong and our investment in southern China.

"Would China seriously 'put all that at risk just for a little bit of democracy in Hong Kong?"

E

Hong Kong's coming of age

will not have been democratically elected.

Lee said it was academic whether

for Hong Kong over the next five years in which he promised greater democracy and promised major spending on education and social services had taken many people by surprise.

"Why? Because over the years we have become used to Britain doing very little for us," he said.

"We have been let down so many times in the past by so many people.

There.have been promises then disap-

pointment. So we have come to doubt their sincerig.

"When we heard Patten's speech we all said 'bravo wasn't it good'. But we have such short memories.

"Go back to 1984 and the signing of the Joint Declaration between Britain and China. On December 5 of that year the man responsible for Hong Kong, Richard Luce, promised, in the House of Commons, that it was Britain's inten-

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER T992

Hong Kong will ever have a fully elected LEGCO within the 50 years (the period China has said it will allow Hong Kong to

thoughts on the future of Hong Kong with members of the CIub over breakfast. Karl Wilson reports. hen Paddy Ashdown arrived

retain its capitalist system under the one country two systems policy) following the hand over.

"But that is not to say it cannot be amended," Lee said.

The Basic Law, he says, is amendable given the politicalwill on both sides.

"All we are asking is that Britain speed up the pace of that democratic process

and allow more seats to be democratically elected," Lee said.

So how would he describe patten's speech then?

"A compromise ... nothing more and nothing less," he said.

"The Government and Britain had its chance when Lord Wilson took over.

They never bothered. What Patten should

have done was to say OK Hong Kong's

going to have full democracy and then spend the next four years trying to convince China that it is a good thing.

in Hong Kong towards the end of September it was his

first trip back since June 1989.

"This time it was not the new sky or shore line but the new feel of the place which I found quite remarkable.

"When I was last here, in the shadow

Backthen Hong Kongwas

still reeling from the shock

on the student-led pro-dein

"l remember people saying that Hong

Kong couldn't cope with democratisation. That sort of comment usually came

from people with a vested interest

in

keeping things the same.

"From what I can tell, Hong Kong has responded extremely well to democrati-

sation."

Ashdown has been one of the few British MPs who has consistently spoken up for Hong Kong and its people in

the British parliament, He has been highly critical of Britain's policy towards Hong Kong and in its negotiations over

general election. But added: ',Bath's gain is probably Hong Kong,s gain too,,.

Commenting on Patten hé said the new Governor had made a "good,,start, but added "this has been the easy bit ... let's wait and see how effective he is in standíng up to China.

"Governor Patten is a gifted man who enjoys a direct line into Downing Street.

His duty now is to put both of these at the exclusive service of Hong Kong,,'he said.

last years of British rule may

Tiananmen Square.

Confidence in the future

just redeem the failings of the few years we have just

of the territory had plummeted and the people's morale had sunk to an all

had.

"Hong Kong stands like a Shan dynasty Ding, on three legs. lts relations with China,

time low.

How did he find things

its prosperity and its freedom. Take any one of the

this time round?

"Quite frankly I was, to use an English vernacular phrase made famous byyour Governor in a rather more vulgar period of his career, gobsmacked," he said.

remember commenting to a friend that I thought Hong Kong was suddenly coming of age. I cannot believe how quickly that process has progressed.

"l am confident that if he does that, then Hong Kong will be well serued and the

of Beijing's brutal crackdown

mocracy movement

of Tiananmen Square, I

the territory's future with China. "l hope Chris Patten will change all that," he said.

Not wanting to put too fine a point on it he emphasised the fact that it was a Liberal Democrat who defeated patten in the seat of Bath at the last British

give democracy to the people of Hong Kong?"

According to the Basic Law, by the year 2007 half the Legislative Council

what that future will be, he says, is anyone's guess.

"Obviously a lot w¡ll depend on what happens between now and 1997," he

"What we have now is a compromise

which Patten will have to sell to China

legs away and the vessel falls over.

Paddy Ashdown

"ln Hong Kong's case, each leg is dependent on the others. Without good relations with China, there cannot be

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1gg2

1I

prosperity. Without prosperity, there will be no incentive for the Chinese to toler-

side the limits set by the Joint Declaration or away

ate freedom after 1997. And without

from the path of conver-

reedom, there will be no way the people

gence with the Basic

f

or the capital that make Hong Kong

of Hong Kong and,

-

whatever

else happens, they must be preserued.

Other matters may be important. But these are essential."

As an example Ashdown pointed to the new airpoft. "lt may be important to Hong Kong but if you take it away, Hong Kong will still prosper. Take away the prospect of freedom after 1997 Hong Kong will not

"Whatever their impeÍections these two documents provide the only frame-

work for the future which Hong Kong has got. And it would only make it easier

for the Chinese to break the terms of them after 1997, if the British set the precedent for doing so beforehand.

But the scope for action even within

prosper."

He said Britain should not sacrifice

these limits is still surprisingly large.

the opportunity to deepen the roots of

Take the vexed issue of representation.

"Given the successof the limited steps

Hong Kong's limited democracy just to obtain concessions for the airport.

Ashdown said there were two other principles which ought to weigh substantially in the new Governor's calculations in the final countdown to 1997.

"The first will not necessarily please my liberal colleagues. But like it or not, it is a reality and at this moment Hong Kong must learn to live strictly on realities, not on dreams.

"And the reality is that there is no mileage for Hong Kong in straying out-

I

can tell, Hong Kong has responded extremely well to democratisat¡on.

Law. They may both be inadequate and there remains serious inconsistencies to resolve between the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration.

prosperous will stay here.

"These are the three essential ingre-

dients

From what

towards democracy so far, there is a clear hope that Patten should now widen the scope of representation. And doing so would deepen the roots of democracy and make it more ditficult to tear up after 1997.

"There are those who suggest that he should move to a wholly representative system. However desirable in principle this is, it's impractical now."

So what is open to Patten without breaching the Basic Law or the Joint

Declâration? Ashdown said Democratisethe 10 appointed places on LEGCO. "ldeally Patten

Dro You Ktrtow: 1920, "Prohibition" was

could simply say that they would be elected on an open franchise.

intrduced into A'nerim md the borotn droþþed out

Soon, comþonies werc daing

But if this is unaccepta-

bly radical, then there are two other opt¡ons available," Ashdown said.

"Either elect the Election Committee that appoints them on an open franchise basis, or comprise the District Boards solely of elected representatives and re-constitute them as the election commiüee, expressing their will through a proportional system of voting.

"Either of these routes would, directly or indirectly, increase the representative element of LEGCO and substantially entrench democracy."

Ashdown's second principle concerned what he described as Chinese Walls.

"Build them around your freedoms now, the better to protect them later," he said.

"Of course nothing is irreversible. But the more barriers of precedent, practise and law which are established today to protect Hong Kong's limited freedoms, the more difficult it will be to tamper with them after 1997," he said.

of the whisky market.

tlrcir best ø

eqtaàe ¿læ

US

Coasr

Iþtrn

inø

America. -[his was the era of

the

Gunrd anl, bring "íllegaL"

"speakeasy" ond. thz "bocttleger" who

ofæn solì" their

b

ut1wcff)

um

cowterfeit brmÀs

c,tstDfiLeTs.

Geru,Liræ bars

farnous salesmen

ro

21 CIub,

genuitæ orticle.

a

Dac)i¿,

employed

seLl, unofficiolly, tlÉ

Orc

poptm but least was

srch as Neu

of

srccessfuJ salesmen

Joung, ex-armJ offícer called

Niven.

Niuen, recently arriued in New York, was olnne, broke desperaæly trJinC

,

and

to break into

tJv

mouies, when he got his first job as a B

alltmtirw' s salesmrm.

KOWLOON

Superb Thai

Shop 105-8, 1Æ Ocean Centre

cuisine in an

TST, Kowloon

Tel : 3l-702-88

elegant setting, with a spectacular view

HONG KONG

Ristorante

of Victoria Harbour. What more could you

wish for?

Shop 132, The Mall

PacificPlace

88 Queensway,

fine ltøfiøn fool

ü Wine

HongKong

Yems later, hc wou)Å ofæn

Tel:86-800-86

ù.cIwe thnt Bal/øntil's gaue him

oræ

of

his

was

his

fauowiæ whisþ.

frst big breaks and that it

Perfutps thnt's why

OpenTdaysaweek.

BaLktntine's

is

a wæ for

ol.ways oþþreciated...

in good times an¿ ba¿. One of the

Promenade Level, Tower 1, China Hong Kong City, Canton Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon.

Tel: 735 8898.

T2 TIIE CORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

mLutJ "Íeasorls Ballonane's is Ewoþe's rumber-otæ selling Scorch Whiskl.

SPECIAL FEATURE

SPECIAL FEATURE

My favourite hotel nts' ar e c o nstant Iy onthe road covering one breaking story afier another or simply filling in time putting the finishing touches to that colour story or feature that should have been done months ago but there wasn't the time. It is no secret that correspondents, on the whole, stay in good hotels. So The Conespondent asked some of the FCC regulars to name their most prefered hotel in Asia and why.

C

orr

e sp

By Richard Hornik I first stayed in The Regent in '1985 after my initial four months of being based in bleak Beijing. That could account for a certain pro-Regent bias, but to this day it is my favourite hotel in the world.

It starts out with THE VIEW, one of the most magnificent urban vistas anywhere. The rooms have an expansive but comfortable luxury that makes it difficult to force yourself to go out into the hubbub of Hong Kong. ln fact, with a great room service menu easily the best room service Eggs Benedict-you could remain glued to that fabulous panorama for days.

You certainly don't have to leave the hotel in order to sample four of Hong Kong's f inest restaurants.

The best steak I've had in Asia was at

-

the Steak House; Lai Ching Heen

is

regularly voted one of the top Chinese

restaurants in the world; and Plume is

clutter of garish marble and lumps of

as EDSA.

gold, greets the visitor. The bedrooms are huge, with high ceilings, most of

middle of the swimming pool where

which have now been lowered by some tape measure wielding idiotwho doesn't seem to understand the virtues of tropical architecture which make air conditioners superfluous. Anyway the dam-

I

and two other Canadian correspondents

set a new world's record for gin and tonic consumption on Saturday after-

age has been done but you can still sleep in peĂ?ect comfort with an over-

noon/evening/night earlier this year, agreeing lmelda Marcos had been given

lar,lar too much publicity already.

Ben Tierney is the Asian correspondent for Southam News of Canada.

Eastern and Oriental, Penang ,By Steve Vines

Most people seem to know about the

The Manila Hotel always ready to go the extra mile.

When my wife and I left my assignment in Beijing in 1987, Robin Moyer decided to make our arrival at Kai Tak memorable. As we prepared to enter The Regent's Daimler the driver greeted us with a pitcher of Margarita's. We knew we were home.

Richard Hornik rs Southeast Asia Bureau Chief for Time magazine.

Philippine Plaza

By Ben Tierney

I decided the Philippine plaza was going to be my hotel in Manila for ever more on Sunday, February23, 1986, at about 6.30pm.

I was in the Philippines with approximately half the world's foreign correspondent population covering what subsequently became known as the People

Power Revolution. The day before General Fidel Ramos (now president) and the then Defence Minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, had bolted from Marcos

Having failed to make it on standby for the morning flight (okay, so I was new in Asia at the time and didn't know how to change that) I flew back in the afternoon and headed straight out to Crame, doing the first part of the trip by

to try and ruin parts of the hotel but its original character shines through. This is one of the classic old colonial hotels, built in an age when space was not at a premium and standard formula hotel rooms had thankfully not been invented.

sure. Situated just off the centre of George Town, Penang's capital, it enjoys a quiet location overlooking the old port. Everything, except the tourist belt, is within walking distance.

Jaime Sin, I found Ramos and Enrile in Ramos' office inside Crame, being more or less incessantly scrummed by several dozen journalists. I joined the fray, recording an interview of sorts with the two men

(in truth, with one, because Enrile did about 98 per cent of the talking). I then managed to get use of a phone in a small office next door and there, surrounded by young soldiers and their automatic rifles, and with Marcos issu-

and had defiantly holed up in Camp

ing his final, final, finalwarning to Ramos

Aguinaldo, then Camp Crame.

Great story ... Trouble was, I wasn,t there to cover it. I was in Cebu City, at

and Enrile from a colour TV set in the corner, I dialled the Philippine Plaza.

No, I did not say: "Gimme rewrite, sweetheart." But I did ask for the busi-

then Mrs Corazon Aquino, and I didn't

ness centre, I did get a wonderful young

hear about the Ramos-Enrile move until later that night, too late to catch a flight back to Manila.

woman on the line, and together we

THEĂ&#x2021;ORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

magnificent E&O or Eastern and Oriental Hotel on the Malaysian island of Penang is, for inexplicable reasons, the least well known outpost of their former

emprre.

The new owners have done their best

some very large personnel carriers that had played a big part in the story that afternoon and over and around dozens of newly erected barricades set up by the thousands of Filipinoswho had poured into the area at the urging of Cardinal

Hong Kong in which you feel like you've truly had a culinary experience.

Prosaically, however, my favourite spot is Harbourside, easily the best hotel coffee shop anywhere.

But in the end, what sets The Regent apart is service that welcomes and pampers without smothering and is

an anti-Marcos rally being staged by the

Sarkis brothers' Raffles Hotel in Singapore, and the Strand Hotel which they built in Rangoon, however, the

head fan.

There is nothing very flash about this hotel. lt has a pool, which is very small by today's standards, but little else by way of what are described as'facilities'.

The E&O does, however, house a magnificent restaurant serving particularly good Malaysian curries.

The thing about the hotel is that it serves equally well for business or lei-

taxi and the latter pan on foot, past

one of the few French restaurants in

14

A large airy lobby, devoid of the usual

De Los Santos Avenue, better known P.S. Besides the extraordinarily helpful business centre, the Plaza has a wonderful little bar on an island in the

onde

The Regent, Hong Kong

accurate, and I didn't have to spell Epifanio

assembled and transmitted bytelex about

1,200 words. She was fast, she was

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

15

SPECIAL FEATURE Someone is bound to do irreparable

damage to this hotel in the not too distantfuture, so take no chances, head E&O wards a.s.a.p.

Steye Vrnes is the Asian correspondent for The Guardian.

Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul

By Michael Shanahan

At the end of a hard day flogging around a strange city you don't,feel like searching for decent watering holes in which to relax and so the most important part of any hotel is undoubtedly its bar.

Unfortunately, in the majority of hotels in Asia these usually resemble airport waiting rooms, often populated by painted popsies whose "looking for business, dearies" demands, in whatever language, are less than subtle.

lrish bar - and not a bad imitation either. Particularly authentic are the bodies being carried out any time after about 1 Opm as the Koreans, who make up about half the clientele, are kamikaze drinkers. A kind of draught Guinness is served which isn't bad, but that is more than can be said for the band they had playing when I tast visited in August. lf that was lrish music I'm handing back my passport.

The hotel's lrish general manager has

banned the ladies of the night and so you can relax without being hassled,

The bar also seems to attract the growing number of travelling businesswomen who obviously feel it is a place they can relax, often alone, without being

bothered.

Apartfrom O'Kims, the Westin Chosun

CALCUTTA is definitely not a ptace to spend a holiday. This town is famous in breeding all kinds of saints, and the days of the Britishblub are gone. So there must be some serious reason to visit this Babylonia city where you can find your way to hell or to paradise.

The merits of a good hotel are always emerging in times of despair or when one needs a hot shower. I had to stay several times in the Calcutta Oberoi, which is the mother of all lndian Oberoi Hotels, and each time everything worked at its best. First I was stranded there after being released from a friendly hijacking at DumDum-Airport. When I say the hotel managed to get my calltrough at 4 o'clock in the dark Calcutta morning, everybody who ever tried to ring up his mother/girl-friend/editor-in-chief out of lndia will understand my apprecia-

tion. I have to say this hotel has

1

I

\

hotels have a

an

extremely friendly and considerate staff

.

Another time I enjoyed the Oberoi un-

business centre. But

der stress was when Roland Jotfe occu-

pied the place with his movie folks to film the "City of Joy". I still admire the hotel staff who survived not only the movie-makers but also the crowds outside at the gates protesting against what they saw as an insulting degradation of the city's image, I spent hours to

only one is located in the

get a word from movie star Patrick Swayze who had to consult his lawyer in New York every time he wanted to say "good morning".

Stelan Rersuer is the Asian Correspondent for Stern magazine.

MANILA HOTEL

by Robin Moyer Kathmandu's Yak and Yeti Hotel.

This is particularly true in the South Korean capital, Seoul, which has become the sexual playground for Japanese businessmen who only use one kind of club during their "golfing" holidays.

There is, however, one safe haven for the dedicated drinker and this can be found in the basement of the Westin Chosun Hotel, which also happens to be ideallysituated bang in the citycentre.

O'Kims is, as the name implies, an

offers good restaurants and generally good all round service.

The girls in the business centre are particularly helpful.

And, best of all, there is a 20 per cent discount on room rates for journalists.

Michael Shanahan is Asran busrness writer for the London Evening Standard.

When all else fails in the Philippines, as it so often does, you can be sure of one thing the Manila Hotel will be working. On Roxas Boulevard, next to lntramuros Fort (and Golf Course, of course), it is close to Malacanang, Ap, AFP, FEER and the Firehouse. And it is closerto being a home awayfrom home than any other hotel I've ever been in.

Over the past twenty years, I have probably spent the better paft of a full

16 THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

to be staying at Mandarin Orienal.

-

year in one room or the other of the The Oberoi, Calcutta, India

By Stefan Reisner

Isnt it wonderfrrl

lf I can give General Manager Miguel Cirqueda a couple of Manila Hotel.

MANDARIN ORI ENTAIHONG KONG

l ĂŹ\

SPECIAL FEATURE days notice, I can usuallY get mY old familiar room in the old wing overlooking Manila Bay. Whether by design or inertia, the hard-wired computer hookup is still in place. During the business in

1985-86, ensconced for more than four months in a large corner suite with the family and several itinerant photographers, drivers, fixers and, occasionally, a sod of socialist oversight committee, we managed to both cover the goings on and produce our little contribution to photojournalistic history, "Bayan Ko!" Always friendlY, the staff seem to want somehow to become an intimate

part of your life. After a week or so in residence, each and everY room boY, maid, hall guard, driver, pool attendant, waiter, doorman will be greeting you by name and alwaYs with a smile.

Everyone you might ever need to see eventually shows up in the vast elegant lobby or the busy coffee shop. The restaurant of choice for hacks is the Roma where the ltalian food can be good and

occasionally a tenor from the Metropolitan Opera (New York version) will sing for his supper. And when the lights

are browned out all over town, the hotel's generator keeps things glowing.

Robin Moyer is a photographer with Time Magazine.

Tanjung Aru Beach Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, East Sabah

By Joseph Keller The first encounter I had with the Tanjung Aru Beach Hotel was two years ago. The wife and I went to Kota Kinabalu for a working holiday she to holiday and me to work.

The arrival formalities at the Tanjung Aru are very warm and friendly even when checking in with 180 kilos of television equipment.

We were taken to our room (one of 245 lhey have) by an entourage of porters each of whom very carefully placed all our stuff neatly in what was to be later called the living room. Mind you we opted for the deluxe room. lt was huge, wonderfully

-

which is the highest summit in South Asia and well worlh the adventure.

The hotel's fitness centre has all the

favourite drinks and cold beers, it is a great place to unwind and catch those mind boggling sunsets this land is so well known for.

The food at the Tanjung Aru is ... well,

Tanjung Ary Beach Hotel.

had the gastronomic pleasure of indulg-

ing in.

equipment and a goat ... yes a goat.

The thing belonged to the drivers

Yak and Yeti Hotel, Kathmandu

By Joseph Keller

helper, or so the helper said at the time.

For nearly two hours all of us, including the goat, were stuck in a traffic jam

February 1992 and once again I'm on

the road. The flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu was very comforlable, much

different from the mode of transport later. Sitting in a Land Rover (90 series for all you road buffs) with a producer, driver, dr.ivers helper, 180 kilos of TV

rated the main room from the

Stay At The E&O Hotel Penøng's

Most Hístorical Landmark

Over one hundred years old & abound with exotic tales of the Far East, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel

is

steeped

in history &

renowned

for

its

magnificent colonial architecture.

patio which had a nice view of the hotel grounds and the beach looking out over the city of Kota Kinabalu with the foothills

of Mt Kinabalu

in

the background.

The staff are very friendly from the waiters up to the general manager. lf you need any

FINE SERVICE, CUISINE & CELLAR

assistance with any anything... just ask. The travel and tours deskwill

take care of eve-

THE EASTERN & ORIENTAL HOTEL

t0, F¿rquhar Street, 10200 Pcnang, Malaysia. Tel:630630, Tcle[ar:6]4833, Cable:HOTELEANDO, Telcx:EANDO MA '()270, P.O.Box:399, 10750 Penang.

M.ñb. of rt€ lq.L Chb E¡ta|tit.t ( l¡ ) 8H. Grclt.

18 THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

rything from airline re-confirmation to the climbing of Mt Kinabalu,

It's

rant situated outside serves up one of the best seafood buffets I have ever

rattan and hardsliding door sepa-

Thø Pøninsula.

fantastic. The Mawar garden restau-

furnished with wood furniture. A

T,,,n

latest gadgets, steam room, sauna and massage. lf you are into golf there is a good course nearby. lf you are into tennis the hotel has wonderful courts which are open well into the night.

After a long day of relaxation give the Sunset Bar a go. Tropical libations, old

before finally reaching the famed Yak and Yeti Hotel.

My first impression was that we had taken a wrong turn. The hotel is big and very beautiful. We had a wonderful reception and hadn't even entered the front door. While all the luggage was being unloaded and checked in I took in the splendour of the place lots of marble and ornately carved wood and brass fittings.

My room was clean with CNN, Star TV, IDD and a silver service cotfee table

-

Life Of A Mandarin Hong Kong hotels took four of the top 15 slots in a survey of more than 12,000 American Express Cardholders. Topping the list as "The Best Hotel ¡n the World" for the second year running was the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong which also garnered the award for "The Best Business Hotel in the World".

The Peninsula and the Regent hotels rated in the top 10 of "The Best Hotel in the World" category and the Peninsula and the Shangrila hotels took fourth and fifth places respectively in the "Best Business Hotel in the World" section.

name comes from the huge fireplace and its chimney which are situated in the middle of the room. The fireplace is real with a good stock of wood nearby just in case your feet get frozen from all the walking during the day.

The Chimney has a Russian flair with recipes from Boris Lissanevitch who is credited with being oneof thefirstpeople to help open Nepal to tourism. One of my favourites is the rack of ribs (Yak perhaps) accompanied by a large bowel of borscht and a couple of neat vodkas. ln the morning try the Sunrise Restaurant which overlooks the Madhuban gardens.

and overlooked the courtyard where

The business centre is verywellstaffed with all the usual business electronics you wantandshould all etséfail ... telex

the garden is located along with the pool

facilities. The travel desk will take care

and tennis court.

Atter my luggage had anived I decided to check the place out. My first stop was the Lobby Bar for a cold one.

There the barman filled me in on the

of all your needs from an expedition to the summit of Everest to the all important airline re-confirmation.

The hotel has a good rate for chang-

place, He said the hotel had been a palace over 100 years ago. The actual

palace is now the old wing where the NaachgarTheatre Restaurant is located.

Cultural shows and food fit for a king are served there. Take note of the Bohemian chandeliers. They are all original.

The period furniture, the service, the food all go back to a time when everything was simpler.

The Chimney Restaurant is a great gathering place in the early evening. lts

all thø taj

ing money ... it is the same as the bank.

One note of caution: keep your ex-

change receipts. lf you plan to stay in Nepal for longer than your visa states, the immigration department will want to see them.

As for a five star hotel, the price of the rooms are a bit steep but this is compensatedfor bythe hospitality and friendliness of the statf.

Joseph Keller ls a freelance tographer.

Deli@t¿ly spiced meat, seafood

md vegettrìü ffiies, tmtålistrg dals md exotic rices. AccompÐied by tans¡ rait¿, rcjak md pineapple witl ombe¡ md chili.

And complemented by a refteshing may of tropiæl frutt md cooli¡g ærbets.

All for the delicious price of 81 75 plus a 10% seruice chuge.

In tJle gmd fraditiou of a bygone era, anidst the luxrry of one of the few remalnlng colonial bastions, diæover the original Curry Tiffr on

Satudays fiom 18 næn mtil 3:30 pm.

CURSY TIFFIN

LUNCHEON

AT

M*;iid*ß -loØge

p*ìff**

The Peùsr¡la, Hong Kong. ¡'or rærvattons Tel: 366 6451

@

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

19

Looking to the future As one of the most senior Hong Kong fficials responsible for the Government's financial policy, David Nendick has been at the heart ofthe decision making process. He spoke at the CIub at the end of September in one of his last public engagements beþre retiring as secretary for monetary affairs.

Karl Wilson reports.

biggest boom. ln a matter of 18 months the stockmarket was booming along with property.

.

'-t

"That is the way Hong Kong is though - either in the depths of a crisis or we are very close to euphoria and therefore vulnerable to the next crisis when it comes along.

"Hong Kong doesn't build on the experience of one

¡

crisis. What happens instead is that it forgets all about it.

It goes into the recesses of

Nendick is optimist¡c about 1992.

en David Nendick first

ar-

rived in Hong Kong in 1985 he

found it difficult to believe all

the stories he had heard about the territory's low morale.

Kong's confidence was the signing of the Sino-British joint declaration in December 1984 which guarantees Chinese sovereignty over the territory as from midnight on June 30, 1997.

From the Japanese occupation in 1 941,

Nendick had heard allthe stories when

Hong Kong has lived from one crisis to another and survived to go on to bigger and better things. ln 1949 it had to contend with the flood of refugees fleeing the communist takeover next door. From 1947 to the spring of 1950 the territory's population grew from 1.8 million to 2.2 million. ln the 1950s there was the Korean Warwhich sawthe United Nations place an embargo on all trade with China. The impact on Hong Kong was nothing short of disastrous. As a result Hong Kong decided on a policy of industrialisation as it could not longer rely solely on the poft for its survival.

Then there was the Cultural Revolution in the 60s which saw bombings and riots on the streets of Hong Kong. ln the 1970s there was the world oil crisis and in 1974 the local stockmarket crashed which saw shares fall by more than 90% in six months.There were also a series of runs on local banks and supermarkets. The economy had taken a hammering, the currency had all but collapsed along with the stock and property markets.

Perhaps the biggest threat to Hong

he was seconded from his nice and secure job with the Bank of England where he was secretary-general for

one's mind and when the next crisis comes along one's not only worrying about it but allthe others that have been and gone. .That is why, I think, Hong Kong has this overreaction to what it perceives to be as a crisis. We have either over optimism or over pessimism," he said.

"That fragility is always within the

security to head up the monetary affairs branch.

community and within the financial system

Some of the stories amused him to say the least. Like the run on Maria's

that. lt's not going to go away in the

cake shop in 1983 and a few years

Nendick said he could not guarantee Hong Kong won't have crises in the f uture. "ln fact, I would have thought it's certain that there will be and they won't be predictable. But that's Hong Kong.

"The great advantage of this, though,

earlier the bank run which stafted when a bus broke down and the passengers

got out to take shelter from the

rain

under a bank awning. Then there was

the expatriate who told him how

he

always took extra fuel onboard his boat just incase the Chinese invaded Hong Kong so he could get to the safety of Taiwan or the Philippines.

"One of the results of this unceftainty

Hong Kong has had to face over the years is that people have cultivated short memories and shoft time horizons," he told the Club in his luncheon address.

"lt is the reason, I believe, for Hong Kong's enormous dynamism, resilience and flexibility, both as a community and as an economy.

"Despite all the gloom and doom, by 1986 Hong Kong was starting to see its

and I think it is important to recognise f

TIIE 1993 FCC DIARIES

uture."

is that it has given Hong Kong an enormous work ethic along with an enormous dynamism and resilience to recover quickly from adversigr."

As

fol|997 Nendick says

there will be

a crisis but it will be a short-lived one ... just the same as any other crisis.

"There is a Chinese character that best sums up Hong Kong and that character I think is the one for crisis because within that character is also the character for opportunity," Nendick said.

The FCC 1993 range of executive diaries is now available at 'club' prices. Each has been specially produced with a wealth of important information, in either black imported bonded leather or calf-skin for the wallet and organizer. Nlfeature a discreet club logo and your name, if requested.

Ask to see the samples at the Club office.

Avoid disappointment and order early as stocks are limited. Allow two weeks for personalizing The Foreign Correspondents' Club l¡wer Albert Road with your name or initials.

Hong Kong

,{. The Ff,C Ðesk Diary. 58 weeks in popular week-toview format international public holidays; world atlas and liftout directory

HK$235.OO

B. The FCC compact Desk Diary. Newconvenient size of lM x 2\0mm. Popular week-toview diary; international public holidays; general information and

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C. The FCC Pocket Diary.

HK$12O.OO 58

weeks in the popular

week-toview format international public holidays and general information

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

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available to be collected at tJre

Flash Gordon Gordon Wu has never been afraid to speak his mind and has done so on many occasions. One of Hong Kong's most successful businessmen, his Chinese connections, some say, go right to the top of the mainland leadership. Karl Wilson reports. ordon Wu must be enjoying himself at the moment.

As far back as 1986 Wu was

the first one to stick his neck out and suggest an integrated approach to develop Hong Kong's new airpòrt with a system of ports and roads in what was known as the Western Harbour Lantau Strategic Development.

It was no secret that Kaitak was

I

1

OD

Diners Club

Iilemdtlonql'

il

3è'lZ 3¿i5b1?

f a tztcl é¿ò8¿tl-

let rhe resl (onform

be built. Anything is possible if you are prepared to pick up the price tag.

"Apart from being in the wrong place the airport is connected with a single access bridge. You don't build an airport with a single access. lf something happens to the bridge your airport will be cut off."

Wu has concentrated a lot of Ns energies on the Pearl River Delta, an area, which, he says, has a dynamism the likes of which he has not seen anywhere else in China.

"Private entrepreneurs from Hong Kong have seen the incredible opportunities across the border in southern China. The subcontractor who used to drive a Toyota a few years ago is now driving a Mercedes. "China's leader Deng

Xiaoping has already laid the foundations for China's economic future the political system will not change but the

-

economy will develop along purely capitalist lines," "l know people say the two can't work hand-in-hand. But just look around the region. Taiwan with its 20 million people has something like

nearing its life expectancy and Hong Kong had not made up its mind. The investment was going to be huge no matter what was decided.

Then came Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989. The then Governor, Slr David Wilson, in a knee-jerk reaction announced the government was going to build Hong Kong's new airport at Chek Lap Kok. The Government had to restore confidence to the people of Hong Kong and the only way it knew how was to announce one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever undertaken anywhere in the world.

Gordon Wu The only problem then, and today, is that it does not have China's official blessing.

Wu is not without credibility. The head Wu's proposal, on the other hand, of Hopewell Holdings has a good record was strongly backed by the Chinese for deliveries. Despite the downfall of government. Three years and a lot of his main supporter, Zhao Ziyang, Wu water has flowed under the bridge. remains well connected.

"The governmenttold me I didn't know Apart from power stations in China what I was talking about," he said durand the Philippines, property developing a luncheon address at the Club on ment and infrastructure projects in the October 6. region, he is currently in a race against "So I said fine, that's the end of that. timetofinish his multi-billion dollarsuper I will get on with my business ... and that highway linking Shenzhen with is what I have been doing ever since."

Guangzhou and Zhuhai.

Wu admitted the airport had started "We are trying to make up for lost to take on the appearance of a fairy tale time," he said. "Even if we have to work ... "Something like the Emperor's New 24 hours a day we will finish it on time Clothes," he said.

[June, 1993] despite Baring Securities 'There is no question the airport can claims to the contrary."

US$90 billion in foreign reserues. lt had a totalitarian political system. "l think 1997 will be a non-event.

People were saying a few years ago

that as we get closer the property market will start to fall, so will the stock exchange, there will be a mass exodus of people leaving and a serious capital Ílight. Well, none of that has happened and in fact the closer we get to 1997 the better things look for Hong Kong."

Wu, however, called for caution with the push for greater democracy in Hong Kong saying: "Why?" "No one seemed to worry about it up until 1989. Our system may not be perfect but look what we have achieved. I like what I see for Hong Kong. There are not many things to worry about. Any democratic reforms should be done slowly and not abruptly because if change happens over-night there will only be pain at the end of the day.

"Look, across the border is 1.1 billion people we are just over six million. "But we are a major driving force turning China's economic wheel.

"lf people don't want to take part

in

the opportunities across the border and

are not prepared for the change over they should pack their bags now. "l am optimistic about the future and

I am

optimistic about China's future.

The wheel is turning."

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

E 1992

23

PEOPLE

OBITUARY MERV HAWORTH 1918- T9g2

Fin and Níck Thompson, honeymoon, soak up the Hearst's small villa north Fin and Nick's newspape Watch this

an

olph

n his life Merv Hawofth never

Merv was a winner on the pool table as well. One year he won the Club championship, and it was not uncommon for him to,hold the table'

lacked for friends, because

space. ¡s

he knew how to be one.

That was as evident as ever it was last month as FCC members gathered at the Methodist Church

- stay unbeaten - for hours at a time, even the entire afternoon.

to say afinal goodbye, joining Meru,s

But he was also a gracious man

family and other friends for a service of thanksgiving for his life.

on the pool table. Rookies were never beaten too badly by Merv.

Delivering the eulogy, Club member Fred Fredericks summed it up for all. "l don't know if Merv ever met a man he didn,t like. But

They even managed to win once in a while. Merv was known to inexpli_ cably miss easy shots.

I

Merv was also well known for stretching out his hand to strang-

do know I've never met anyone who didn't like Merv."

Meru died on October 1, after a long illness. He was 74.

Merv Haworth

Born in Minnesota and raised in Wis_ consin, Merv served his country during World War ll, then joined the United

Peter Seidlitz tries to explain the finer points of modern art to a bemused Bert Okuley and Bob Davis straining to catch every word at the

opening of an exhibition featuring the works of Appell, Corneille, Miro, Ting and Eirker.

States foreign service. Fluent in Japa_ nese and Mandarin, he spent most of his career in Asia, as a cultural attache in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

He retired in 1974 to join his wife and former Mandarin instructor, Susan, in the family oriental antiques business.

It was in retirement that he became a

regular at the FCC. On most afternoons he could be found perched on a stool a

few feet from the downstairs bar.

He came to play pool, to sip beer, to talk, and to listen to whatever people had to say.

"He had the winning combination of an engaging attitude towards life and a keen sense of humour,,,said Club vet_ eran Hugh Van Es. ,,He also never shied away from 'shouting, for more than his share of rounds."

ers.

Newcomers to the Club who wan_ dered downstairs to the pool bar were always invited to put their name on the board if pool was on their mind, or to simply have a drink if it wasn't.

Merv died at the Adventist Hospital with Susan at his side, as she was throughout his illness. Besides Susan, Meru is survived by a son, Michael, a daughter, Karen, and a recently born

grandson, Rory.

Ben

LETTERS Good cover

Worth the wait

The coverstory on South Africa in the September issue of The Correspondent

Today I was spending my lunch time at my diplomatic office the press Club here is not as big as the FCC. At noon my secretary brought my mail with the

by Ms Sally Roper was extremely well Oktoberfest at the Club had the beer and umpapa band but lacked the Bavarian Alps as a backdrop. Nevertheless, members enjoyed the night , particularly the Swedish contingent. r€

written an article with substance and highly readable. The Correspondent will surely benefit from more articles of this calibre.

Having studied and worked in (then)

-

West Germany, personally I would be interested to read about the viewpoints of my fellow Club members on the re_ cent Rostock and Wismar incidents all the same racial and economic ten_ sions with vastly different ingredients

_

than Boipatong.

TIJE CORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

special look she has when I receive the South China Morning posf or The Cor_ respondent.

As I begin to laugh loudly my secre_

diplomatic event of the year_The Rugby

Sevens.

Jean-pierre Guay, paris PS: Continue the good work, Colonel President and regards to Mr Grabner.

tary thinks that my mail from the Far East has sent me a little crazy.

Actually, I laugh each month when I read the President's edicts concerning events of the month ... sorry the ggg FCC Basic Law chapters you have to learn off by heart if you want to become

Carney Wu, Ássoclate Member

24

-

before February to be well prepared to meet his excellency in March when lwill be in Hong Kong to attend the ultimate

a member.

I hope to learn, no, I promise to call some friends and learn the new edicts

The editor welcomes letters from

all members. Wrlte to:

The Editor, The Correspondent, Foreign Correspondents' Club North Block, No 2 Lower Albeñ Road, Hong Kong.

1992

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

|gg2

25

r BOOK REVIEV/

Fighting fire with fïre riede mann Bartu is the first to adm¡tthat this book should have

been written by

a Japanese

When the question of the pacific War smoke screen and changes the subject.

Japan is reluctant to apologise for its brutal excesses during the last war and it tends to see itself not as the aggressor but as the victim because of the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

And, as if to underline its claim, his_

... I simply sat on the sidelines as an observer and let Asians, and more

is raised Japan throws up a

imponantly, Japanese do the talking. ln fact the tifle of his book, The lJgty Japanese, is not his. lt came from a Japanese diplomat in Singapore nine years ago who used it in a lecture to describe how the Japanese appear to the rest of the world today.

Bartu may not be an Asian but he has

captured much of the essence of the problems that ex¡st between Japan and

l

Japan-bashing". lnstead, he says of the book, "it should be seen as an Asian perspective of the Japan-Asia relationship and not a European's. I simply sat on the sidelines and let Asian and Japanese speak about the relationship." ln the eight years it took to research his book, Bartu amassed a great deal of

information on the Japanese, mainly press reports and from interviews. The thing that struck him most was that nearly all the reports carried in Asian newspapers about Japan were highly critical and dwelled on the fact that the Japanese are different to their fellow Asians.

Bartu writes: "To criticise Japan and to cite her short comings is of course not to demean the Japanese achieve-

ment. Most Japanese now live an essentially middle-class existence enjoy-

ing a safe and orderly environment.

However, because they are so homo. geneous, most Japanese live totally

26

lll'l'()l'l'S

l:iflìllll:

Asia while also managing to keep a

ber 20 he stressed that his book should not be seen as "just another book about

POND

what it is like to be Japanese, why Japan is a poor country and why Japa_ nese need to work hard.

and not a Swiss. But he does add a rider

global perspective as well.

His eight years as Asian correspondent for the highly respected Swiss newspaper, Neue Zurcher Zeitung, also helped open many doors.

When he spoke at the FCC on Octo-

LY

I

:0(

)ll0ll

ll

lN i,lìl^

tory has been rewritten for Japanese students. Japan, unlike Germany, is reluctant to admit to any excesses during the last war. And that is the problem

The Ugly Japanese: Nippon's Economic Empire in Asia

By Friedemann Baftu

LongmanglgS Reviewed by Karl Wilson

standardised daily lives. Everything is so rigidly at the same level that a Tokyo

correspondent of the Far Eastern Eco_ niomic Review once described Japan as "the world's only successful com_ munist society."

Statistically the Japanese are among

the world's richest people, are the big_

gest investors in Asia and the most

travelled people in Asia.

Baftu says that Japan,s one-dimen_ sional pursuit of economic and technological interests has left ,,urgent social and human problems."

He quotes lndonesia's Central Bu_ reau of Statistics as saying, ,,Japan,s national and international goals are summed up in one word ... profits.,, The Japanese are seen by their Asian neightbours as being arrogant, superior

in attitude and condescending. They are also very slow in coming to terms with the brutality the country inflicted on most of Asia over half a century ago.

Japanese school children are taught

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1gg2

it faces with its Asian neighbours . .. they want an apology even if it is SO years too late.

But an apology is something that can take five seconds. What about Japan,s military might? According to Bartu, this

BY

is what concerns Asia more than Japan's ecqnomic might.

Until Japan comes to terms with its military excesses in the region it will always been viewed with suspicion by its neighbours in Asia, Bartu observes.

He does make the point, however, that the continued ',lack of trust and understanding in Asia,s relations with Japan does offer the West a golden opportunity to cooperate by simply act_ ing as a counter-balance to the dominance of the Japanese."

He says: "South Korea and Thailand, togetherwith Hong Kong and Singapore, offer a great chance to fight fire with

fire."

Bartu does offer a glimer of hope and says that it is possible Japan willchange

and grow out of its one-dimensional pursuit of economic interests. "But at present there are not enough signs in Japan itself and in Japanese bphaviour and attitudes to suggest that such a fun_

damental change is imrninent."

g

ARTHUR HACKER

This lovely silk screen print of Bali was beautifully printed by the famous Coriander Studio in London.

Copies are on view at the Main Dining Room of the Foreign Correspondent's Ctub, ã Lower Albert Road and Fabric Fair, 4ß Ho Lee Commercial Building, 38-42 D,Aguilar Streer, Central

Silk Screen Print in Six colours Edition 500 Printed by Coriander Studio Published by Arthur Hacker 19g4 Size: 43 x 22.5 inches Price HK$1,250 unframed Send this form and your cheque to Arthur Hacker Ltd., Suite F, 8th Floor, Crystal Court, Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.

Beautifully prinred in a limited edition of 500 it is available

numbered copies signed by the artist, HK$I,250 posr free from:

Arthur Hacker Ltd., Suite F, gth Floor, Crystal Court, Discovery Bay, Hong Kong.

Tel: 987 9043 Fax: 987 9072 Pager: 1139933 call 1945 Cheques payable to Arthur Hacker Ltd.

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-I

Dateline Seoul... either institutions nor individuals like to hear about their own worst traits or weaknesses. ln Korean society, this is true in spades.

Criticism from outsiders is usually ignored or rebutted strenuously. lf the cr¡ticism comes from Japan or

the United States, Koreans tend

to respond with certain sets of psychological reaction for these are the countries with whom Koreans have intense lovehate relationships.

This helps explain why Conlucianism Def i es Th e Com puter : th e Conll i cts W ithi n The Korean Press, a special report from the East-West Centre, was published in virtual secrecy earlier this year.

That is to say, the South Korean

press did not give it the attention it deserved. Perhaps a Korean translation would be helpful for then it might draw more attention from more Korean journalists.

Author David E. Halvorsen does a courageous and conscientious job in this study, simply the best non-Korean look at the peninsula's press in recent memory.

Courageous because he must have known such an eye-gouger would be rebuffed by some thin-skinned Korean journalists and conscientious because he has shown a thoroughness which is lacking from academic analysts who

have too quickly dismissed or overlooked the role of the press,

"Amidst all this social turmoil," the author says, 'Îhe (Korean) press is rudely

learning that exercise of freedom is complex. lt calls for decisions that the editors and reporters never had to make before. So ultimately it comes back to

Confucius' admonishing question:'Do they know the force of their own words?"'

The enactment of a freedom of the press law on October 29, 1987 has given the Korean press more freedom than it ever experienced, but the transition has been no picnic.

'Censors no longer sit in each

ASIÄ, EUROPT

from 1953 to 1955 and as a civilian press otficer for the United Nations

By Edward Neilan newsroom. Government agents no longer

Command in Korea from 1955 to 1960.

It is ironic that a Korean naturalised as an American citizen, Philip Jaisohn nee So chae-pil founded the first Korean newspaper, lhe Tongnip Shinmun.

Halvorsen makes a strong case for

about

it !

recovering economy.

the Korean press' anti-Americanism and is close to the mark but not exactly at the centre of the circle. The text seems to imply throughout that American jour-

F.C.C. members represent one of the highest earning, per-capita, consumer spending groups in Hong Kong.

nalism is the best there is and that its standards could be overlaid on Korea.

Nowhere is the difference more pro-

have been started, though many are fragile and some have already failed.

found than in the area of gifts to journalists. When is it a gift and when is it a bribe? Some newspapers are now giving reporters expense accounts and others are issuing credit cards which some say will formalise lhe ch'onii by

F.C.C. members are generally decision makers who decide WHAT to buy for their companies.

Journalists are well paid and they enjoy and relish their prestige in a hierarchical society. Circulation of the major papers

keeps increasing as the people seem absorbed in seeking every printed word.'

Halvorsen points out that the comfortable cartels created by past authoritarian regimes are now crumbling in the face of competition.

-

replacing

it.

of

story.

under more difficult conditions than most

West Centre, 1777 East-West Road,

segments of western journalism.

Halvorsen was a research fellow at

ile 808-9214-7670.

the East-WestCentreform October 1 gg1 to March 1992 and prior to that spent 10

months in South Korea on a Fulbright grant. lt was a homecoming of sorts for he had served in the US Army in Korea

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

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Circulation is on a controlled basis to FCC members and other key figures in the city.

Some old timers say

There have been too few serious analyses of the Korean press which is the bidding of the authoritarian regimes changing with a dynamism that stuns are struggling to keep their power, the imagination, no less than Korea's knowing they are called 'collaborators' overall charge toward democracy and by younger staff members economic prosperity. who embraced an idealisHalvorsen, a veteran tic rhetoric of democracy American journalist with Many through the volatile stucredentiats at the ChË editOrS dent movement of the last cago Tribune and San fepOfters three decades."

FranciscoExaminerhas they can The old customs of been an interested specsmall gift accepting gifts, the fellowtator in the development still write press clubs ship of the Korean Press' (adopted from the Japanese), and the reluctance Editor's Note: Fora copy to play watchdog are all of Confucianism Defies coming under more scrutiny.

The Computer: The Conftict Within ln short, the Korean press is evolving The Korean Press by David E. Hdl at a fast pace. Faster, perhaps, and vorsen, write Special Projects, East-

rlt¡ sfAIEs.

WHAT DO YOI' THIIIK?

to ransack newsmen's apartments and spirit them away for beatings and detention. Newspapers are not closed down because they have criticised a despot.

"This is called the 'Golden Era' of the Korean press. hundreds of publications

come in the night

^ 28

Think

oR

For further information please call Rosemary Little or Tom Deacon on 577-9331

nome.

PRESIDENT'S LETTER

MANAGER'S REPORT

tages, for media coverage, of basing November will see a month-long clearance sale at the China Fleet Club and we are told that the vendors are prepared to offer some stunning bargains. aaaaaaaaaaaa Preparations for a brilliant New Year's Eve party including a seven-course dinner are well underway as are the book-

November kicks otf a busy social scene at the Club. Thursday, November 5, sees the beginning of Swiss Week with a cocktail welcome for lrma Datsch, the renowned gourmet, and her assistants and for artist Jean-Jacques Putallez who, at the same time, will exhibit his works of ceramic paintings.lt is sponsored by Swiss Volksbank.

Along with this is a Swiss a la carte menu for both lunch and

ings.

dinner from November 5 until lunchtime November 13. On that evening there will be a gala dinner with Swiss entertainment.

The tourist bureau of Saas Fee, the home of lrma Dutsch's Waldhotel, will be promoting its idyllic, car-free town with a special film to be shown at a time and date to be announced later.

From Novembell9-23 the Club will be presenting its popular French Week, sponsored by Cathay Pacific and Jebsen Fine Food &Wine Co., with the traditional Beaujoulais Noveau breakfast on the first day for those inclined to blot out the rest of the day and a gala evening on the last

TH E

-

aaaoaaaaaaoa

I'll end on a relaxing note, Elke, our masseuse, is now available to take bookings again. She will start work from 8.00 am till 9.00 pm and you must give at least 24 hours notice.

Bookings can be made through Shirley or Sandra at the Club office.

Ileinz Grabner

ZCC

BY ARTHUR HACKER

Rippon, Margreta Elkins and on the piano Peter Lally willjoin us on December 14 with traditional Victorian songs and English style dinner in a night of Hope and Glory.

aaaaaaaaaaaa Though The China Fleet Club

S-I-ATU E SQU A R.E

SO^^EBOÞY NE-ED.5 A N E\A/

salesroom will stay open. The China

Fleet Club will close on December 1 but the salesroom will open again on the 1sth floor of Asian House on December 7.

30

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

lt is in

of the FCC.

I

COPYWRITER

N OTI

have been publicly challenged to

reveal the existence of allegedly secret documents which purport to reveal the existence of a solemn pact agreed between the FCC and the Hong Kong governmentto ensure thatthe Bar Stools remain in place for the next fifty years

CE

HONGKONG LANÞ

without re-upholstery or any other changes, except for the occasional wipe following extensive use on Friday nights. ln my view it is very difficult to conduct sensible negotiations if every single word is going to appear in what can only be described as newspapers and maga-

NO FIL-I PINAS

NO

zines. This is a sensitive matter and it

DOGS

will be closing its doors for good at

the end of the year, the US NavY

The problem with this democracy thing is that it's contagious. There has even been some irresponsible talk about introducing fully fledged democracy in the

this context that I feel it my duÇ to clarify some issues surrounding the so-called "Secret Bar Stool Talks" of early 1990.

It would be the reckless in the extreme to either confirm or deny whether these talks took place. You will recall that at the time my predecessors made it absolutely clear that the future of the Bar Stools would be decided by the people

ecutive chef at the Hotel Des Ur-

dom.

On December 9 the duo Norman Castle and Lesly promise a performance of music, comedy, nostalgia and fun.

Noted operatic singers Michael

rankly I blame the Governor.

We never used to be troubled by all this wild talk of democracy, certainly il never emanated from Government House. lt's so unsettling, I feel my very stability and prosperity is draining away. Looking back over the golden Wilson years I recall how confident we all felt. lt was a real delight to see a knight of the Realm being treated as a doormat; it made me feel ever so confident and prosperous.

Foreign Correspondents Club.

day.

Following his success last year, Chef Fabrice Gomet, previouslY sous chef with the famous Paul Boscuse restaurant and now exsuline in Autun, has agreed to come back and cook again at the FCC. Moving into December, thefourth of the month will be a Korean Night in conjunction with the consulate general and with chefs specially brought in from the Hermit King-

Club raises its voice

( kt

v.

\{

{

required sensitive, and I may add, constructive exchanges of view which may or may not have resulted in a (seasonally adjusted) understanding. lf such an understanding had been reached (and I'm not saying that it was), it may well have recognised the treasured position

the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat in Singapore where

our members have repeatedly encountered problems of access. This matter was raised jointly with the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

Thirdly, some excellent news, having

asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to exercise its mandate to grant refugee status to

nised the need for convergence between the Bar Stools and the bar and would almost certainly have acknowl-

Vietnamese writer Ong The Hung, I am delighted to report that this has now been achieved. ln another matter concerning Vietnamese asylum seekers, we have been in touch with the Refugee Coordinator about the future of Freedom Magazine, which is published in the Whitehead Detention Centre. The magazine, providing comprehensive news coverage for the detainees, is threatened with closure.

We have also decided to associate ourselves with Amnesty lnternational's appeal on behalf of veteran Burmese journalist and politician U Win Tin, a prisoner of conscience, urgently requir-

edged the desirability of limiting access

ing medical attention to prevent his death.

to the Bar Stools.

However, and in this I will have the support of the Club's Board (as soon as I tell them that their full support is required), it is neither desirable nor necessary for details of these alleged talks to be pushed into the public domain.

Calls to let the people hold a referen-

Meanwhile, the Board has considered representations from a number of members about the position of associ-

!

I

*l which Bar Stools occupy in the life of this community. lt may also have recog-

ate members attending heavily subscribed luncheon meetings. Many associates, wrongly, assumed that they were now being excluded from these

events. To clarify matters we have

dum on this matter should be referred to the Club's referendum advisor, one Allen Lee, who has strong views both for and against this and all other issues.

Meanwhile, other matters have been occupying the Board. We have written to the Chinese authorities about the fate of Hong Kong journalist Leung Waiman, who has thankfully now been released. We were careful not to comment on the merits of her case but protested at the denial of access of

decided to reaffirm a previous policy of reserving 90 out of the 150 seats at these occasions for the working press.

Members who retain correspondent or journalist status after changing to jobs outside this field are reminded to notify the Club of their change in circumstances. Those who fail to do so will be contacted by the Membership Committee to ensure that genuine journalists are given priority in news gathering

relatives and others concerned about her position and called for her to be

abused.

given independent legal representation as provided for under Chinese law.

We have also alerted the Hong Kong government about possible disadvan-

matters, a priority which should not be On this firm note I sign off, pausing only to state that if another member writes me a letter beginning, "l must strongly protest...", I may just reply in equally strident terms.

THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER

1992

31

The SLR c

fromadiffere

PEDDLER'S JOURNAL

Strangers in

our wn land

n my annual visits to New York I have been driven about by, among others, taxi drivers from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Africa, Jamaica, Russia, lndia, Turkey, lsrael and Pakistan.

Once, four years ago, I was picked up by a native New Yorker by the name of O'Malley and only lastyear byan equally rare breed heading for extinction, a tough, old gravel voiced, Lower East Side type by the name of Sam Rosenberg.

their kind in the United States.

Being only about a 30 minute ride from my daughter's Brooklyn flat, she

suggested one late summer Sunday afternoon we drive over and have a look around.

It was twilight and the boardwalk was

crowded with family groups out taking the evening air.

Russian men in shabby black jackets and their overweightwives would pause to greet friends, while small boys in their

Sunday best scurried around the edges

New York City's ethnic mix has always been one of the prime sources of

of clusters of little girls wearing lace shawls.

its vitality and unique flavour. Moreover,

that ethnic mix has always been in flux.

Remnants of the old ltalian, Jewish lrish, Polish and other European origin neighbourhoods can still be found, but with assimilation into the mainstream they have lost their vibrancy, and what remains of their old-world culture can

be seen only when trotted out on national or religious holidays in the form of a street festival or parade.

Their place has been taken by more recent waves from Latin America, Asia and other Third World countries.

The cultures brought by these new comers and the African-Americans are now the fount from which spring the

The new immigrants have always been the source of many of New york,s problems. ln the 1890s Jewish, lrish, and

Italian gangs fought each other over turf

.

Today it is the West lndians, Hispanics and African-Americans.

More recentlythe Chinese have began

to muscle in.

ln the 'l 890s the tenements were packed, crime was rampant, the infrastructure falling apart and the city was near bankruptcy. So what else is new?

One of the newer neighbourhoods where an old world atmosphere can be

latest fads and fashions and the ever changing character of the c¡ty. (lt may

found intact is Brighton Beach in Brooklyn.

be stretching a point, but African-Americans having arrived in droves afterWorld

first 60 years a sedate ocean front resort overshadowed by its more flamboyant Coney lsland.

During the prosperous years immediately follow¡ng World War ll construction of new expressways brought the Jersey shore and New England resorts

War ll from their "old country," the rural south, can also be included in the immigrant category.)

Salsa, reggae or rap can be heard blaring from cassette players on street

corners or through open windows of beat-up old cars overdue for the junk yard.

Dropping into a Cuban diner for fried chicken, plantains and black beans or a Chinese restaurant for spring rolls and

fried rice is as common now for the average New Yorker as lunching on a pastrami sandwich or pizza.

32

Established in the 1880s, it was for its

within easy striking distance of New York, and Brighton Beach rapidly sank into decline.

Its revival began in the 1970s when for some obscure reason it became the favoured destination for Russian Jews lucky enough to wrangle an exit permit.

More than 30,000 of them are settled there now, the largest concentration of

Babushkas, stockings rolled below their knees to reveal pudgy legs, had commandeered most of the benches.

With the exception of a few children and teenagers the only language being

spoken around us was Russian. We could have been in Odessa.

Later we went into one of the restaurants. We were the only English speak-

ers but with some assistance from the waitress we were able to orderfrom the Russian menu.

A few people, including an old man and his grand-daughter, were dancing to Russian melodies played on a balalaika.

At our neighbouring table four scruffy men who looked as if they just got off a freighter were well on the way to getting plastered on vodka.

One of them attempted to strike up a conversation with us but there was no communication and when it appeared

they were becoming belligerent the manager told them to leave.

Strangers in our own land, we were

able to enjoy a night on the town in Moscow without having to pay for the

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THECORRESPONDENT NOVEMBER 1992

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