Officials also say senior bureaucrats are leaving the government, something beyond imagination just three years ago in Korea. Of course, the technology revolution isn't a death knell for Asia's old-line conglomerates. Some of Asia's biggest tycoons also are racing to grab a dominant stake in cyberspace, none more so than Hong Kong's Li Ka-shing and his son, Richard. For now, however, the Internet is helping to shake up one of his other businesses, the Park 'n Shop supermarkets in Hong Kong that along with a rival chain have maintained an impregnable duopoly for years. Shop and its rival, Wellcome, immediately slashed prices on popular items such as soft drinks in response.
Standards here are quite low.
The site has several thousand readers and has forced executives and market regulators to respond to questions Webb has raised about alleged corporate skulduggery. As more alternative voices make it onto the Web, particularly in countries such as Malaysia, where the mainstream media toe the official line, popular opposition to collusive behaviour between government and favoured companies may increase. But because it does increase the odds of transparency and diffusion of information, it's a step in the right direction. Review Publishing Company Limited, Hong Kong. All rights reserved.