Weekend TODAY: China paper in photo mix-up

IN A bizarre case of mistaken identity, Fujian-based daily newspaper Hai Xia Du Shi Bao used, in its Thursday report on the murder of an Ang Mo Kio masseuse, a picture of Workers' Party member Glenda Han (picture) as the victim.

Both Madam Yu Hong Jin and Ms Han may be 30-year-old Chinese businesswomen with long flowing tresses - but the similarities end there.

The two women had appeared in last Monday's Lianhe Wanbao, which profiled Ms Han at her Robertson Quay cocktail bar, Les Chameaux, and ran a separate report on the fatal stabbing of Madam Yu, a Chinese national.

The Hai Xia Du Shi Bao apparently used the Singapore paper's published picture of Ms Han at her cocktail bar.

Mr Yuan You Zhi, the reporter who wrote the article for the Fujian daily, told TODAY the mix-up was a careless mistake and Ms Han's photo would be removed today.

The report appeared online at ww.hdzxw.com/hdnews/place/200606/199306.html.

When contacted for her reaction, Ms Han said: "I heard from Wanbao about the photo mix-up. I've sent the Chinese newspaper an email to remove the photo. I just think it's not very professional to get something like that mixed up, especially for such bad news."

The Hai Xia Du Shi Bao had picked up the news as Madam Yu, who was stabbed to death last Sunday morning, was born in the Fujian province where the paper enjoys a readership of 60 per cent of the population. - TOR CHING LI