HEADLINES: Ex-legislator closes HK PR shops after scandal

<p>Mr Gary Cheng, the former legislator forced to close his two PR </p><p>agencies over a corruption scandal, has denied a conflict of interest </p><p>but admitted he was "confused" over the issue of client conflict. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said the purpose of running two agencies was to avoid client </p><p>conflict, but that he had become "confused" over which agency was </p><p>handling individual accounts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's my fault because we ran some accounts in the same office doing the </p><p>same job," Mr Cheng said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"I overlooked several issues. We intended to streamline the jobs, but </p><p>they covered the same accounts. Even I was confused." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The admission has served to raise concern in the PR industry over </p><p>ethical standards on conflict issues. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An MD of a PR agency in Hong Kong said: "His management process may be </p><p>at the root of why this enquiry has taken place." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Cheng will close Gary Cheng Kainam's Public Relations Consultants and </p><p>Asia Ford Consultants later this year after admitting to passing </p><p>confidential government documents to business contacts while serving in </p><p>a government post. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He started Gary Cheng Kainam's Public Relations Consultants in July </p><p>1997, offering political analysis, crisis management, media training and </p><p>political campaign support. Six months later, with a client list which </p><p>included many of Hong Kong's largest companies, including Hutchison, </p><p>Cheung Kong, Cathay Pacific, Towngas, and KCRC, he launched Asia Ford </p><p>Consultants to handle conflicting accounts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Cheng denied allegations that he used his government position to </p><p>assist his clients. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Every time we opened a new account we informed our clients of our </p><p>principles," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This included refusing to submit motion debates to Legco, vote or amend </p><p>agendas or work for clients on policy issues which conflicted with his </p><p>own views as a legislator. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The allegations are under investigation by the disciplinary committee of </p><p>the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, the political </p><p>party of which he is vice-chairman. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>* The full story can be found in Asian PR News, a sister publication to </p><p>MEDIA, available only by paid subscription. For details, email </p><p>subscrib@media.com.hk. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>