Police investigators are attaching great importance to cases involving former radio hosts Albert Cheng and Raymond Wong, who recently quit their posts citing intimidation and pressure.

A senior police official disclosed this in the Legislative Council Panel on Security yesterday.

While the investigation is ongoing, so far there has been no evidence to suggest the cases are related to remarks made in the radio programmes, said Chau Foo-cheung, director of crime and security of the Hong Kong Police Force.

Cheng's company in North Point was splashed with red paint, and Wong was involved in an assault case in Tsim Sha Tsui in which he was a victim, Chau revealed.

In one of the cases, five persons were arrested and charged, and it will be heard in court in August, he added.

During the investigation, police asked the two clients if they had offended any persons or owed debts, and met about 90 per cent of the people whose names were supplied by the two.

But there have been no signs of a threat.

"People we approached all said they could not provide any further information," Chau said.

But several legislators were not happy with the answer, noting that Cheng had said in his letter to the panel and his article in a weekly magazine that he was living in great fear after he was brutally wounded in August 1998 for hosting the Teacup in a Storm programme.

They also expressed dissatisfaction with Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee and Commissioner of Police Dick Lee -- who did not attend the meeting yesterday -- for saying that the cases had nothing to do with remarks made by the ex-radio hosts.

"Since the investigation is not yet completed, why do you say the cases are not related to their remarks? Still, police are unable to prove the cases are not related to their remarks," said independent legislator Albert Chan.

Chau explained that since intimidation is a criminal offence, they needed to study carefully if what had happened with the two radio hosts amounted to criminal intimidation.

He also said police would render Cheng protection if he wishes to attend the LegCo Home Affairs Panel meeting tomorrow.

"He has asked us for protection and we have upgraded the level of protection after assessing the case. We are also keeping in touch with him daily to see what he needs," Chau said.

Meanwhile, the poll by the University of Hong Kong showed that 58 per cent of people were unsatisfied with the performance of the government.

The figure was a record low since August 2003 but higher than the July 2003 level, said pollster Robert Chung.

The government must learn from last year's experience to relieve the people's grievances and address the fear of freedom of expression under threat as soon as possible, he suggested.

(China Daily HK Edition May 26, 2004)