Newsletter No. 439

2 No. 439, 4.6.2014 每月的15號是《選擇》月刊出版的日子，對於即 將發表的產品報告，香港市民總是十分好奇， 而傳媒在當天也不愁沒有話題。在頻頻出現於 各視頻和報章的消費者委員會（消委會）新聞 發布會畫面中，有數張中大人熟悉的面孔。 兩 位在中文大學日理萬機的要員──副校長 許敬文 教授和資訊科技服務處處長 梁光漢 先生──在全 港最具公信力的消費倡權組織身負重任，梁光漢是消委 會副主席，許教授是委員兼宣傳及社區關係小組主席，與 他們緊密合作的總幹事 黃鳳嫺 女士則是中大工商管理系 畢業生。 2006年，消委會邀請梁光漢任增選委員，就如何更新資 訊系統給意見。既與本行相關，他欣然答應，翌年1月獲政 府委任為委員，2013年獲委任為副主席。自言不愛消費， 對市場了解不深的他，抱着貢獻所長，邊做邊學的心態服 務社群。 身為市場學講座教授的許教授戲言不知道消委會為甚麽 會找上他，話雖如此，消費和市場學是息息相關的。他說 多位中大同仁都曾協助消委會的工作， 陳志輝 教授曾任主 席， 程伯中 副校長、已退休的 何淑貞 教授曾出任委員，校 友 陳黃穗 女士和 劉燕卿 女士都曾任該會總幹事。 黃鳳嫺曾在租務、信用卡、資訊科技、電力、旅遊等範疇工 作多年，強於聆聽溝通，更擅長掌握營商者的思想模式。 在旅遊發展局負責推廣會議展覽的五年多，也練就了在短 期內認識一個專業或行業如何運作的能力，為現職奠下 穩健基礎。 三位中大人在消委會合作無間，黃鳳嫺形容關係是亦師 亦友，「許教授很親切，總是毫無保留，快、精、準地給 我意見。他有工商管理經驗，視野廣濶，看問題很能聚 焦。Philip是資訊科技專家，也強於管理，人隨和，不怕吃 虧，對怎樣從科技發展入手促進會務很有見地。我從他倆 身上學到很多。」 千錘百煉發布會 許、梁二人除了出席每月兩三次委員會和其他小組的定 期會議，每月的新聞發布會可說是工作亮點。會前一周左 右，產品報告送到發言人手上，他們必須趕緊細閱，並熟 習新聞稿和答問提要。許教授形容新聞稿是報告的濃縮 內容，「我們要再從中萃取精華，從廣大市民關注的角度 預測記者的問題，融會貫通，靈活運用，就可應付差不多 所有提問了。」 產品測試牽涉科學和技術層面，外行人不易理解。做發 布會，須發掘三兩重點，深入淺出，扼要表達，讓記者向 讀者發放。訪問之前一天，梁光漢剛發布了寵物食糧的報 告，摘要訊息是香港出售的貓糧狗糧，部分含有毒素，長 期食用有機會引致不良反應。許教授說一般市民能掌握 這點已經足夠，「養寵物的自會細看報告，現在沒養的， 有朝一日有需要時，能記得有這個訊息，那發布會的目標 便算達到了。」 梁光漢坦言時間倉促令他頗為緊張，「準備工夫定要做 足，遇上化學名詞，例如三聚氰胺及三聚氰酸是甚麽，對 人有甚麽影響，得多看些較深入的資料，加強信心。」黃鳳 嫺和他們並肩作戰，她說兩人面對傳媒，每次都有進步， 初期帶點拘謹，現在已收發自如了。 消費認知與心態 消委會每年接獲投訴以萬宗計，許教授對此看法正面。 「投訴多了未必表示香港多了奸商，而是反映出消費者更 許敬文教授 Prof. Hui King-man Michael 加認識自己的權益和投訴途徑多了。」那麽濫用權益普遍 嗎？消委會就只是站在消費者一面嗎？ 「香港市民對消費權益的認識位於國際前排，絕大部分都 是合理的消費者，」黃鳳嫺說，「消委會的標誌是一個天 平，兩端是消費者和營商環境。我們倡議保障消費者的政 策或條例時，態度持平，分析研究營商環境，也諮詢持份者 意見。調解爭議，會先看消費者的要求是否合理，營商者是 否有誇大失實之嫌，也會探究溝通是否出了問題。」 墮進消費陷阱最大的原因是甚麽？許教授理性分析：消費是 出於需要？還是因為可撿便宜？「便宜是最大的陷阱，有需 要的，不要堅持便宜。香港以至整個中國的文化都以便宜為 尚。這種心態衍生很多問題，導致欺騙。合理權益是要有付 出的，外國不問原因的退貨制度，是消費者願意付出合理價 錢造就的；買的不只是產品，還有隨之而來的保障。」 服務學習相增長 梁光漢抱着貢獻的心態出任公職，後來卻發現是取多於 供。「消費是現實生活，買罐午餐肉、泡麵、衣服、獲取服 務，都是消費行為。在大學工作了數十年，吃飯也在校園， 接觸的不是學生就是教師、同事，不問世事的話，可真是一 個象牙塔。參與消委會工作，有助我認識真正的民生。我見 識到匪夷所思的商家和消費者，觀察到各種利益關係，學 到市場趨勢、消費者法律保障等學問。我們在大學不時接 到各類諮詢和投訴，在外頭我遇到比大學更不合理更野蠻 的投訴文化，怎樣處理，怎樣說明能力底綫，都是寶貴的學 習。」 按黃鳳嫺的說法，消委會是不斷學習的公營機構。「我們必 須與消費者的需要和行為模式同步更新，更要走在前端， 投放資源研究消費模式、消費信心，認識新產品，留意各行 業營商手法的發展。」在消委會的三年工作計劃裏，包括幾 項進取的目標，就是完成針對某些行業營商手法的研究； 開拓網上平台，向消費者提供資訊，並從他們身上取得消費 行為訊息；以及推廣可持續消費的概念。 談到本港消費者權益近年令人振奮的進展，三人不約而同 提到同在2012年通過的《商品說明（不良營商手法）（修 訂）條例》、《一手住宅物業銷售條例》和《競爭條例》。 這三條法例涵蓋深廣，或直接或間接為消費者提供保障， 亦為營商者締造健康的發展和競爭空間。有關的宣傳、教 育、執法指引和完善修訂，都是消委會來年的重點工作。 CUHK Members Form Partnership in Consumer The 15th of every month is the day that Choice is published. Hong Kong citizens are eager to know the results of the product test that will be carried in this magazine of the Consumer Council. The media also expect to glean information from it for their stories. You can spot several familiar faces of CUHK members in news pictures or footage of the press conferences held by the council. 中大人消委會喜相逢 P rof. Hui King-man Michael , Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and Mr. Leung Kwong-hon Philip , Director of Information and Technology Services, are busy executives of the University, but they are also important members of this trusted advocacy organization that focuses on defending consumer rights. Mr. Leung is the vice-chairman of the Consumer Council, while Professor Hui is a member of the council and the chairman of its Publicity and Community Relations Committee. Its chief executive Ms. Wong Fung-han Gilly , who works closely with them, is a CUHK alumna majoring in business administration. Mr. Philip Leung was invited by the council to serve as a co-opted member in 2006 to advise on information system upgrading. He said he was happy to oblige as it called for his professional expertise. He was appointed by the government as a member of the council in January 2007, and as its vice-chairman in 2013. Mr. Leung said that he was not a spender himself and knew nothing about the marketplace. But he was willing to learn by doing and to serve the community. Prof. Michael Hui, Professor of Marketing, joked that he did not know why the Consumer Council would want him on board. But consumption and marketing are closely related. He said that many CUHK members had served the council. Prof. Chan Chi-fai Andrew was its chairman; Prof. Ching Pak-chung , Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and now retired Prof. Ho Suk-ching were its members; CUHK alumni Mrs. Chan Wong Shui Pamela and Ms. Lau Yin-hing Connie were its former chief executives. Ms. Gilly Wong has extensive experience in the fields of property rental, credit cards, information technology, electricity, and tourism. She is a good listener and is able to think in the position of traders. She had worked for five years in the Hong Kong Tourism Board to promote conventions and exhibitions. This experience has equipped her with the ability to know the ropes of a trade or a profession in a very short time, laying a solid foundation for her current position. These three CUHK members have good teamwork in the Consumer Council. Gilly Wong described the other two as mentors-cum-friends. ‘Professor Hui is very amiable. He always gives me prompt, precise and sound advice. He has rich experience in business management and a wide vision, and hits the nail on the head when analysing problems. Philip is an IT expert and an experienced administrator, an easygoing guy who is always willing to take on additional responsibilities. He’s provided us with valuable advice on how to facilitate the development of the council by adopting new technologies. I’ve learned a lot from both of them.’ Thorough Preparation for Press Conference In addition to the two or three council, committee or working group meetings, assuming the role of spokesperson at the monthly press conference is a core task of the two gentlemen. About a week before the conference, a product test report will be sent to the spokesperson, who has to study it, familiarize himself with the press release and the tips for answering questions in the Q&A session. Professor Hui described the press release as a summary of the product test report. ‘We have to extract some kernels from it and put ourselves in the public’s shoes to predict what journalists will ask. We can field any question if we can refine the essence to the right degree.’ Involving science and technology, product tests are something not easily comprehensible by a layman. So, the spokesperson has to get the gist, and explain the main points in simple terms for journalists to report to the general public. On the day before this interview took place, Mr. Philip Leung released a report on pet food. The 黃鳳嫺女士 Ms. Wong Fung-han Gilly 邊註邊讀 Marginalia 人生是一場連續的消耗，而可用金錢量度的是最易覺察的消 耗。在香港，無論貧富，相信沒有人能脫離消費。這樣說來， 有四十年歷史的消費者委員會可說與七百萬港人息息相關。 在這個廣受信賴的機構裏，有不少孜孜不倦服務市民的中大 人，我們與其中三位談談他們的付出與得着。 進食是人類最頻密的活動之一，食物可說是最大宗的消耗 品。我們吃甚麽、怎樣吃，對食物的處理、態度，原來統統是 人類學的研究對象。《中大通訊》請來 張展鴻 教授為我們提 供「吃」的視角。 正由於吃也每天在校園頻密發生，我們闢出「舌尖上的中大」 一欄，不為鼓吹刁鑽奢華，而在於為暖我們口腹與心靈的食 物立此存照，記下校園生活的片斷，也向花心思照顧我們飲 食的人士表示欣賞。本期亮相的是一只老老實實的焗薯。 消費主義認為消費活動可刺激經濟，推動「發展」。尤幸大學 仍得守塊壘，無需事事以消費為尚。中大出版社就不以銷量 為衡量成績的唯一標準，請聽組稿編輯 葉敏磊 道來。 人生也可以是一場連續的建造。 Life is a never-ending process of consumption. And the most detectable acts of consumption are those that can be measured in monetary terms. In that sense, the 40-year- old Consumer Council is closely related to the lives of the seven million Hong Kong people. The Council is where some CUHK members serve the community indefatigably. We have talked with three of them about their efforts and rewards. Eating is what human beings do all the times. Food can be said to be the biggest consumer goods. What we eat, how we eat, how we process food, and how we see it are all research topics for anthropologists. Prof. Sidney Cheung talks about ‘eating’ in this issue’s ‘In Plain View’. In the ‘CUHK f+b’ column you won’t find pricey nouvelle or haute cuisine, but some hearty food that warms our stomach and heart. The column serves as archival records of fragments of our campus life, and thank you notes to those who satisfy our appetite with a caring mind. In this issue, the spotlight falls onto an unpretentious baked potato. Consumerism is seen to be an economic stimulus that facilitates ‘development’. It’s fortunate that in this University we don’t allow ourselves to succumb to consumerism. The Chinese University Press doesn’t view sales figures as the only yardstick of success. Let its acquisition editor Ye Minlei brief us on this. Life can also be a never-ending process of contribution. ——————— ■ ■ ■ ——————— 目錄 Contents 中大人消委會喜相逢 CUHK Members Form Partnership in 2 Consumer Council 洞明集 In Plain View 4 博文貫珍 The Galleria 5 舌尖上的中大 CUHK f+b 5 校園消息 Campus News 6 宣布事項 Announcements 8 人事動態 Ins and Outs 9 葉敏磊如是說 Thus Spake Ye Minlei 10