(image from https://www.facebook.com/PUMA/posts/10153061710083216)
Subject: Nothing Wrong with D7689
To: [email protected]
Dear Mr. Björn Gulden,
I write in response to the public complaint letter sent by Mr. Clement Wong to you earlier regarding the D7689 issue in Hong Kong.
Please understand that Mr. Wong's view does not represent the majority for Hong Kong. In fact, I doubt whether his view resonates with anyone here except his extremist circle.
Mr. Wong's demand is no different from McCarthyism that plagued the US in the 50's. A mere random number, which just so happens matching some political satire, now becomes a reason for censor.
If Mr. Wong has any decency, he should at least explain the origin of the nickname 689 for our Chief Executive (CE) in Hong Kong. Our CE, Mr. Leung Chun-ying, was "elected" with a mere 689 votes by an elite committee, laughably representing the 7 million people here.
To "improve" representation, and as a promise since the 1997 takeover by the PRC, our government now proposes an "universal suffrage" scheme, except that the scheme is equally laughable by requiring candidates to be prescreened by the same 689 committee. So, 689 is really a sort of symbol here, representing a repressive regime, and there is nothing wrong to condemn it.
So, on Puma's side, this is just a random number. On Hong Kong people's side, we make it satirical with a legitimate reason. Whichever way you look at it, Mr. Wong's demand has no more merit than those demanded by the extremists in the Charlie Hebdo shooting.
I understand that Puma, as a publicly listed company, would avoid being involved in any political dispute, and I respect your rights to do whatever necessary to protect your shareholders' interest. However, at least, my humble request is that those in your company who involved in the D7689 issue should not be punished. This is the least that an organization in the free world could do. Please do not acquiesce to white terror, as suffered by the Eastern Bloc countries during the USSR era, here.
Most sincerely,
Peter Woo
Citizen of HKSAR, PRC
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Clement Wong's E-mail Coverage on MIng Pao
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