VOL. 44 / ISSUE 5 / MARCH 2012 Race for the top Plagued by scandals and dramas, the CE election is right around the corner INDEX PUBLISHER Steve Guo Zhongshi Editor's note With the election of the Chief Executive right round ADVISORS the corner, the media keep revealing scandals of the Judith Clarke candidates and we have seen a lot of drama. From CY CK Lau Leung’s West-Kowloon Cultural District competition Dean C.K. Cox scandal to the illegal construction in the basement of CHIEF EDITOR Henry Tang’s house in York Road, Hong Kongers have Gary Kwok Ka-lok gone through the most roller-coaster-like election DEPUTY CHIEF EDITOR campaign of the past years. It will be fascinating to see Thomas Chan Chun-wai how things develop in these crucial last days before the Goosie Chan Ho-kiu election takes place on 25 March. ART DIRECTOR leads with 391 nominations, CY Leung has 305 and Albert Simon Yuen Wing-cheung HoThe 188. final That nomination being said, votes a total are of as310 follows: election Henry committee Tang MULTIMEDIA EDITORS members chose not to nominate anyone. Regina Ip and Carlos Cheng Lixing Tsang Yuk-shing, who tried to get on the last minute ride, Xavier Ng Nai-hong both failed to persuade these committee members to cast DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR them a vote. Claire Chu Ka-yee PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTORS the three. With all the recent gossip and dramas, it is very So we are back to where we were: the match between Judith Ki Yik-yu Winnie Yiu Wing-sze slightest scandal may turn things upside down. Be sure to keepdifficult an eyeto determine on this competitive who has got campaign. the advantage. The PRINTER Department of Journalism Gary Kwok Ka-lok School of Communication 10/F, Communication and Visual Arts Building, Hong Kong Baptist Chief Editor University, Kowloon Tong SACRED SOLEMNITY 22-23 Get a glimpse of some of the oldest churches of Hong Kong Make your own leather goods 4-5 The emergence of DIY leathercraft workshops COVER STORY 8-13 The Chief Executive Battle The original bagels from Canada 16-17 Get a bite of the "healthy-doughnuts" 2 | TYR | MAR 2012 ENVIRONMENT TSEUNG KWAN O LANDFILL SITE IN BAD ODOUR WITH NEIGHBOURS Complaints from residents to the Environmental Protection Department have almost doubled due over the past year to the foul smell. A huge increase in complaints about Tseung Kwan O landfill site has raised public awareness about odour problems that affect the daily lives of residents living near the rubbish dumps. The complaints received by the Environmental Protection Department about the odour problem of the landfill site in Tseung Kwan O increased from 753 in 2010 to 1,120 last year. “I won’t open the windows after rain in summer,” said Ms Hung Tung-yi, a resident of LOHAS Park in Tseung Kwan O, where a landfill site is just less than 1 km away from her home. According to the Environmental Protection Department, the South East New Territories Landfill will be exhausted in 2014. To solve the problem, the government has been undergoing a conceptual and feasibility study on the extension project since early 2004. After a prolonged consultation with all A campaign against the extension of the Tseung Kwan O landfill site. stakeholders, the government proposed scaling down the extension scheme in areas would be covered with a soil layer system had found out the major source of Area 137 from 15.6 hectares to 13 and then Posi-Shell Cover, a cement- bad smell to residential areas nearby. hectares. To avoid the odour problem based cover material. Also, non-active Mr Cheung Kwok-keung, a Sai Kung brought to residents nearby, the topping areas would be covered with district councillor, said that the government proposed that the landfill in temporary impermeable liners. government was short-sighted during the Tseung Kwan O only handle odourless An electronic odour detection system planning of Tseung Kwan O development. construction waste. was installed in Tseung Kwan O landfill At the time of new town planning, the Mr Edward Yau Tang-wah, Secretary last year to identify the nature and choice of landfill site was fine as the for the Environment, previously said in source of odour. residential areas there were not a Legislative Council meeting that the However, Ms Hung, the resident living developed yet. landfill was constructed to a high near the landfill site, said that the odour However, the government should have standard as a secure containment problem was still serious in summer had a big picture in mind at the planning facility incorporating composite after rain. stage and avoided building residential impermeable liner systems. “Apart from the bad smell problem, it is areas near landfill sites later on, he said. Other than the original design, the also not environmentally-friendly in this “The policy on environmental matters government had adopted several new way as it wastes electricity when I need to should keep up with the international measures to minimize the odour problem switch on the air-conditioners in trend and meet the standard of the World of landfill sites to residents nearby over summer,” she said. Health Organization." the past five years, said Mr Yau. Meanwhile, councillors of Tseung Kwan For example, at the end of the daily O said that the department did not STORY / JIM WONG waste reception process, the topping explain clearly whether the monitoring EDITED BY / ALEX HURD MAR 2012 | TYR | 3 (Page Number) | TYR | (Month 2012) BUSINESS MAKE UNIQUE LEATHER GOODS YOURSELF DIY leather workshops are gaining popularity among young adults in Hong Kong. Specific chemicals are applied on the leather to make the surface smooth. PHOTO CREDITS / NAMES IN DINPRO BOLD Ms Ruby Ng was preparing something Also starting up the same business two price more expensive than a mass- special for her boyfriend this Valentine's years ago, Cysus Yip of C+ Leather produced one. Senior levels of tutorials day. The 22-year-old office worker was Workshop said, “People are sick of the cost up to $1,000. hand-making a satchel during a lesson at standardized goods and they want The autonomy and freedom of choice C+ Leather Workshop. something unique and special. The best that come along with the workshops are Ms Ng was quite excited about her first way is to make it yourself.” one of the reasons why students are experience in leather craft. “It’s hard to “The number of students joining our paying more. find a desirable leather bag from malls,” workshop is up 30 to 50 per cent when she said. “So I’d rather make my own one.” compared to last year,” Cysus added. DIY’s fun.It gives DIY workshops, using the abbreviation Business is busier during festivals such for “do it yourself”, are no stranger to the as Christmas and Valentine’s Day when you a lot of satisfaction local business sector, with cake shops, people search for special gifts for their accessory boutiques and craft-makers cherished ones. and a sense of success chanting the “make your own” slogan to These workshops operate on a attract customers. small-class tutoring mode, where because what you are Over the past two years, leather craft lessons are conducted at the workshops have emerged as the frontrunner companies’ premises, usually located in making is so special and among various kinds of DIY business, a factory building. providing alternatives to those off-the-shelf They offer tutorials on making stuff different from those you leather goods made from mass production that ranges from small coin bags to lines and satisfying people’s desire to stand Octopus card cases, clutch bags to c an find in a shop. out with their own styles. satchels of variant sizes. Suki, DIY Workshop participant “It’s becoming a trend,” said Mr Ricky Classes are roughly divided into Lau, 33, who co-founded the Farm beginners, intermediates and upper levels. From designing to choosing materials Workshop with his former colleague Annie Beginners’ courses, for example, teach and making the final product, tutors give Fung two years ago to provide DIY classes one to make a simple leather product in students their comments but eventually on leather goods. four hours with a charge of HKD $400, a decisions are made by students. 4 | TYR | MAR 2012 BUSINESS Finished products designed and handmade by tutors are displayed on the rack. Students are free to make their preferred stamps on their leather work. creative industries. Tutors might jump in to help in case workshop instead of making it According to the latest figures published students encounter any problem, said themselves. by the Information Services Department in Cysus. But she encourages them to do it Many of these leather workshops do 2011, there were around 32000 creative on their own. not run on a fixed timetable. Students can industry-related establishments, with ““We want them to experiment with phone up or send a message through more than 188, 000 practitioners everything by themselves. We want them “whatsapp”, an instant message engaged in different sectors. to use their ideas to create their special platform, to make appointments. A good reputation among students, and unique products,” she said. The leather craft business is becoming according to both Cysus and Ricky, is “Hand-making a leather bag is not as a trend at lighting speed. However, the very important in maintaining a difficult as one might think,” said Ruby. successful ones all faced a slew of company’s competitiveness with its “Although the threading part is a little difficulties at the start-up stage.