Family affair

There is something about the sage of gambling tycoon Stanley Ho's family battling for his fortune that baffles me.

Why does an affair like that deserve a place on the front page of newspapers? What is news-worthy about it? What purpose does it serve except to whet Hong Kong people's voyeuristic appetite?

Why is it that this tycoon can boast of having a few wives in a society where polygamy is supposed to be illegal? What does it say about social equality in Hong Kong?

I know I may sound like a sour-grape, but I would never want to swap places with this man with a fortune and a sex life one can only dream of. Not only does he have to constantly safeguard his own security and live under the scrutiny of the media, he has also become the victim of his own promiscuity now that he, at 89, faces the ignominy of his family scandal becoming the talk of the town. Having a few wives is not as enjoyable as it appears, and with such a family feud going on and going public, he might not be able to rest in peace when the day comes...