Letter: In Brief

Sir: Just because Hong Kong people don't receive social welfare of the type seen in Britain does not mean that the government or the people of our country are cold-hearted ("Island with cold heart feels the Big Chill", 18 January).

In many Asian cultures, including the Chinese, a sense of family and self-reliance is deep-rooted; that some old people have been neglected during the harsh winter months points to the failure of their families to take care of them. It does not mean the government is insensitive to their plight.

UMER M AHMED

London, WC1