Land and the Ruling Class in Hong Kong – 地產霸權 – Alice Poon

In my recent trip to Hong Kong, I made sure I picked up a copy of the 2010 translated Chinese edition of Land and the Ruling Class (地產霸權) by Alice Poon. I will try to write more about the book after I finish it.

Here is an excerpt from a nice review of the original book (in English) in the Canadian Book Review Annual,

“Poon’s concise, well-argued analysis is one of the few available English-language sources on Hong Kong’s predicament. While Hong Kong’s once-vigorous and argumentative press has lost its teeth following the takeover, new outlets such as blogs have assumed huge importance as a barricade for free expression and democratic principles. With Shanghai rapidly eclipsing Hong Kong as the banking and finance powerhouse for China’s breakneck growth, there’s a chance that competition may in fact re-emerge and make for the kind of “popular” entrepreneurship long absent in Hong Kong.“

Alice talked about the case of post-service work of Mr. LEUNG Chin-man in the updated Chinese edition’s introduction. And, yesterday, just by chance, the LegCo Hong Kong issued its “Report of the Select Committee to Inquire into Matters Relating to the Post-service Work of Mr LEUNG Chin-man” (English full report link) (in Chinese “調查有關梁展文先生 – 離職後從事工作的事宜 – 專責委員會報告”).

If you understand Mandarin, here is an interesting video chat about the book.

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For the record, here is Apple Daily’s report of the news of the LegCo report re the post-service work of Mr. LEUNG Chin-man.

利益輸送 立會裁決 政府認錯 釘死梁展文 – 2010年12月09日

【本報訊】房屋及規劃地政局前常任秘書長梁展文退休後無視利益衝突問題，離職後旋即不避嫌申請到新世界中國任職高層，並獲特區政府開綠燈通過，立法會調查梁展文轉職事件的專責委員會昨天發表報告對梁展文大肆鞭撻，狠批梁展文行為不符前高官應有操守，影響公務員聲譽，更炮轟他作供時刻意隱瞞事實；審批時把關不力的高官無一倖免被點名批評。梁展文卻死不認錯，反斥委員會「砌詞入罪」，但表明不會就此興訟。記者：許偉賢、莫劍弦