Prison life will turn you grey as Hong Kong jails say no hair products ... but musical instruments are OK
Inspired by Thomas Kwok's grey look, the Post delves into what prisoners can receive
Prison time isn't supposed to be easy, but does it make you turn grey? Apparently so, as Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong - known for his jet-black barnet, as well as the fact that he used to run one of the world's biggest developers - has gone grey because hair dye is banned in Hong Kong jails. As is pink-tinged lip balm, hair gel and big packets of M&Ms. But curiously musical instruments - including stringed ones - are not.
The explored further and found a curious and detailed list of things prisoners can receive from visitors.
Different categories of prisoners are entitled to different commodities. For instance, females are allowed more personal health care items and those on remand also have a wider range.
Towels have to be Good Morning brand, and lip balm has to be Labello with a blue cap. Convicted women have just one choice of lipstick - red Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede No065.
Female prisoners can only use cotton and plain underpants without lace or a protective cover - and can only receive three pieces per month.
A Correctional Services Department spokesman said apart from receiving items from visitors, adults can also buy consumable items, such as health care products, snacks and drinks, at the prison's canteen every month. However, hair-styling items - namely hair gel or hair dye colours - are not allowed, which explains property tycoon Kwok's new-look hair. In May, many noticed that he had greyed during a court appearance.
Hair styles in prison have become a bone of contention. Lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung - known as "Long Hair" - is taking the Correctional Services Department to court, claiming its policy of forcing men and not women to cut their hair is discriminatory.
Curiously, inmates may, with approval, keep musical instruments - as long as they are not electrical, have a wooden case and nylon strings. They can also keep prizes, such as cups and medals. As for sweets, those on remand can only receive small packages of M&Ms and Adachi mix jelly.
"All the articles are subject to security checks and a pooling system is in place to ensure hand-in articles with concealed contraband cannot reach [those] in custody," the spokesman said. "Specifying size, packaging and colour is necessary for security."
Unlike in Britain, where prisoners can keep many personal items, rules in Hong Kong prisons are shaped to guarantee "equality, so rich prisoners do not have more items - and in principle all necessary commodities are provided by management," said Professor Kalwan Kwan, a lecturer in criminology at the University of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong prisons enjoy a good reputation in this part of the world, but if "you compare them with northern Europe, they have holiday-resort-like penal institutions that we are a long way from accepting," Kwan added.
From riches to rags
Property tycoon Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong started serving his five-year sentence in December last year.
Little is known about his time in Stanley Prison thus far, but, under law, all convicted adults in custody, unless medically excused, must engage "in useful work."
And Kwok won't be an exception.
A Correctional Services Department spokesman said, "No persons in custody will be treated less favourably" for "work allocation and earnings arrangements".
There are 13 trades inmates can engage in, such as garment making, bookbinding and carpentry. Work assignments for prisoners are arranged according to vacancy, educational and security background, as well as sentence length.
Prisoners might earn between HK$44.59 and HK$192.01 per week. Kwok, who amassed a fortune of US$13.2 billion, according to Forbes, will certainly not be able to grow his wealth in jail. His maximum salary in prison would net him HK$9,984.52 a year, a paltry sum compared to his 2014 remuneration with Sun Hung Kai Properties: HK$2.82 million.
