C2 Saturday, January 28, 2012 CITY WEDDINGS PUBLIC OPINION VIVIAN CHEN Send tips and invitations to [email protected] POLLSTER WANTS END TO ‘FALSE CLAIMS’

Cultural Revolution-style tactics will do nothing to engender sense of nationalism among , academic warns after attack by Beijing official

...... tions were posed in an illogical and Tanna Chong unscientific way. [email protected] A subsequent Baptist University survey, which phrased its questions Cultural Revolution-style criticism about identity differently, found 90 would do nothing for Hongkongers’ per cent of the 1,005 respondents sense of belonging, a pollster said identified themselves as Chinese. yesterday, after a Beijing official Hao took his criticism further in claimed some surveys “served politi- yesterday’s article: “Praise for some cal interests”. public issues is never seen as interfer- Dr Robert Chung Ting-yiu was ence in academic freedom, yet cri- responding to an article by Hao Tie- tiques are always seen as such. Isn’t chuan, director of the publicity, cul- this a kind of academic autocracy?” ture and sports department of the Chief executive candidate Leung central government’s Kong li- Chun-ying said he respected aca- aison office, in a Chinese-language demic freedom and “would not try to newspaper yesterday. In it, Hao sug- interfere with the design or results of gested some organisa- polls”. tions “conduct surveys that serve the Speaking after he visited three interests of certain political parties” and “aim to influence public opinions”. Chung, director of the University of Hong Kong’s public opinion pro- Cultural gramme, urged Hao to act on the “groundless accusations” made Revolution-style A pair of cowboy boots first brought Arthur Tsang and Maya Yuen together. They married at Caesar’s Golf Club, Cotai, in November. Photo: MCPhotography.hk against him after Hao’s attack on a poll on national identity which criticisms cannot Chung’s programme conducted. help to build a Still, Chung said a public discus- sion of academic freedom was an im- sense of belonging provement on the closed media gath- ering that Hao had earlier called to ROBERT CHUNG TING-YIU Copywriter lassoes himself raise issues about opinion polling. Chung also noted Hao had some families in Tsuen Wan, Leung kept up standing as director of a liaison office his criticism of rival Henry Tang Ying- department, while the leftist com- yen for refusing to debate with him. mentators who had weighed into the In response to Tang’s remark that debate had no such status. he would have a “higher-level” de- a companion with flirty e-mail “Cultural Revolution-style criti- bate when all his policy platforms cisms – no matter who they’re aimed were ready, Leung said: “Speakers at at – cannot help to build a sense of be- RTHK’s City Forum don’t have mani- Office compliment about boots leads to shared coffee breaks and lots longing among Hongkongers or Chi- festos, yet you would never see them nese,” Chung said. just walking away after giving their of laughter before couple decide to get hitched and ride off into the sunset A row between Chung and Hao speeches.” erupted after Chung released a sur- Tang turned down an invitation vey last month of 1,016 respondents to an environmental forum organ- Arthur Tsang may not be a master of Arthur told Maya he liked her boots. arrived at the office. He even baked which showed that the number of ised by 12 groups, but Leung and the chat-up line, but he certainly “I think I made her smile, at least,” her gingerbread men. Hongkongers who identify them- Democratic Party candidate Albert made an impression on Maya Yuen, he said. Later that day he sent Maya “I was impressed by her arty side selves as “Chinese citizens” was at a Ho Chun-yan accepted. and eventually stole her heart. a one-line e-mail saying: “So I and her cool attitude, and she found 12-year low. Leung also took a shot at Tang’s Copywriter Arthur, 31, and Maya, wonder what shoes you are out what was beyond my look – a Hao told the media in a closed- anti-poverty work when he was chief 30, an account executive with an wearing?” softly spoken, classically trained door meeting that the pollsters’ ques- secretary. advertising agency, were married in Luckily for Arthur, his flirty musician who loves jazz,” he said, November at the Macau club e-mail hit the right spot and the pair laughing. “But I think the cookies Caesars Golf, celebrating with 150 began to take coffee breaks together. were what eventually won her over.” friends from Hong Kong, Shanghai In the following weeks, Arthur Two years later, their love was WHAT THE LOCAL MEDIA SAYS and Taipei. bought a coffee for Maya every day put to the test when Arthur moved They were working at the same and placed it on her desk before she to Shanghai. “That was probably the advertising agency in 2005 and first toughest time in our relationship, as diamond ring. “Carrying that rock Arthur said. “We still spend hours Sunday, Apple Daily flight in two weeks. Meanwhile, a ran into each other in the hallway. we only saw each other once a around on a bus in China was a laughing at some silly song lyrics former chairman of the Cathay Maya was the new girl in the office month,” he said. particularly nerve-wracking we’ve made up. I think neither of us Cafe takes foreigners for a ride by Pacific Flight Attendants Union said and Arthur couldn’t help but notice But distance proved no barrier. “I experience,” he said. like people who are too uptight or charging double with different menus a British Airways pilot was partially her. Carrying that rock can’t imagine spending the rest of By the time they got to the one-dimensional. We never get tired Guangdong Barbecue Restaurant, a sucked out of a window at 3,000 “She used to wear cowboy boots my life with anyone but Maya,” restaurant, they had the place all to of each other.” known for its metres 20 years ago when a piece of and a denim skirt. Together with around on a bus Arthur said. themselves. After dinner, Maya roast meat dishes, was glass came away from the cockpit. those big eyes and cute smile, I On October 27, 2010 – the fifth turned to reach into her purse for found to be overcharging diners couldn’t take my eyes off her,” he in China was a anniversary of their first date – lipstick. Turning back, she saw ONLINE who don’t read Chinese, especially Wednesday, Ming Pao Daily recalled. “She must have thought I nerve-wracking Arthur proposed in a Macau Arthur on one knee holding the ring. Want to appear on our Weddings foreign tourists. They were being was just another one of those cocky restaurant. Maya was then working She said “yes” without hesitating. page? Write to [email protected] given a different menu on which the Sex and drug bars a growing problem creative types. I had my hair dyed experience in Macau and Arthur was based in “I love her personality. She’s or visit facebook.com/ dishes were double the price of the for teenagers in Yau Tsim Mong blond back then.” Guangzhou. He crossed the border tough on the outside but bubbly, southchinamorningpost menu for local customers. A reporter More young people are taking drugs Stuck for something smart to say, ARTHUR TSANG to see Maya and brought along a imaginative and cute on the inside,” posing as a tourist visited the chain’s in upstairs bars located in Yau Tsim Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Mong’s commercial and residential branch and was charged HK$335 for buildings, a social worker said. a plate of rice and a small serving of Policing such venues is difficult Spoof wedding survey gave Leon barbecued pork and roast suckling since they look like residential flats pig. When confronted about the and regularly relocate, she said. exorbitant bill, the manager begged Teenagers are paid HK$150 to cover to surprise Shirley with proposal for a second chance. HK$600 a day to work as bar girls, and some of them have sex with Monday, Oriental Daily customers. A 14-year-old girl said Medic Shirley Ho and physics at the Eaton Smart hotel in Jordan. “I card, sealing the envelope with a she had served six customers in teacher Leon Leung first met had just started using ICQ so I added sticker reading “I love you”. Hongkongers stage protest against eight hours one day and could not through the ICQ instant-messaging him and a few other strangers,” “What he wrote on the card was mainland professor’s insults flee as the door had to be opened service when Shirley was 14 and Shirley, now 26, recalled. purely friendly, though,” Shirley Nearly 200 protesters braved the with a password. Leon was 16. They later discovered That was in 1999. They met face recalled. “But I later found that he cold on Sunday to demonstrate they also had offline connections – to face when they were chosen to be had hidden a love letter in the card. outside the central government’s Thursday, The Sun they attended the same middle in a choir at the wedding of one of It was so sweet.” Three years later, liaison office in against school and the same church. their school’s teachers. they became undergraduates – with Peking University professor Kong Millionaire Mark Six winner applies to The couple wed on December 31 “The first time I saw him I felt like Shirley heading to the University of Qingdong calling take ownership of his 300 sq ft flat I already knew him,” Shirley said. Hong Kong and Leon enrolling at Hongkongers “bastards”, “dogs” Indian delivery driver Jagpal Singh, Although they instantly hit it off, the University of Science and and “cheats” during a rant on a who won a Mark Six jackpot of the pair remained just friends as Technology. That is when they mainland internet television show HK$44.5 million last year, has they felt they were too young to be in officially started dating. last week. They urged Kong to applied to court to take ownership of a relationship. “The school library “We don’t celebrate apologise to Hongkongers for the a 300 sq ft flat in North Point where was where we saw each other the anniversaries or even plan surprises remarks – and some even brought he has lived rent-free for 16 years. It most,” Shirley said. “We were also for each other but we know we are their dogs along, saying Kong was is valued at more than HK$2 million. pen pals when we were in high right for each other,” said Shirley. inferior to their pets. But he refused In 2011he bought three flats in Tung school.” Nevertheless, Leon pulled off a to apologise, saying: “Do Chung’s Caribbean Coast for HK$15 Leon, now 28, confessed his love surprise marriage proposal in 2010. Hongkongers advocate freedom of million. He leases them out for a for Shirley 11years ago on her He asked her out on a date but left speech?” Some internet users total of HK$40,000 a month and birthday. He gave her a handmade her waiting at the Star Ferry pier in responded that his remarks were their combined value has now risen Tsim Sha Tsui. “Suddenly, two nothing to do with free speech, and to HK$16.45 million. middle-school kids came up to me that they were simply slander. and asked me to take part in a Friday, Apple Daily survey,” Shirley said. Tuesday, Apple Daily I later found “I thought nothing of it at first but Restaurant raises price the questions got trickier. They Cathay plane returns to base after 15 for second time in nine months he had hidden asked me whether I’d want to marry minutes as crack found in windshield Central restaurant Yung Kee raised someone whose attributes A flight to Singapore the price of its roast goose for the a love letter in happened to be like Leon’s.” with more than 300 passengers on second time in nine months – this the card. It As the pupils finished the survey, board had to turn back 15 minutes time by 4.3 per cent to HK$480 per Leon appeared with a bouquet, got after take-off from Hong Kong on dish. Other restaurant groups, was so sweet down on one knee and proposed. “I Monday because a crack was found including LH and Super Star, will thought it was very romantic,” she in the cockpit windshield. It was the raise prices by 5 to 10 per cent due to SHIRLEY HO said. seventh incident involving a Cathay increased rent and food costs.