As the founder of Next Media, Chi-Ying Lai has become a thorn in Beijing’s side because of her relentless efforts to promote democracy in Hong Kong. Under the “guilt by association” law, Chi-Ying’s two sons have also been arrested, and her Apple Daily newspaper was raided by more than 200 police officers. On the day of his fourth arrest yesterday (March 3), Apple Daily issued a statement insisting that “there are Hong Kong people, there are apples, and we will not accept our fate. However, according to the analysis of former legislator Zhu Kaidi, a member of the democratic camp, the Hong Kong government authorities could even use capital punishment to uproot Apple Daily, through the Science Park Corporation to recover the entire One Media Building.
In August this year, Chi-Ying Lai was arrested for the third time this year. He encouraged his employees to “hang in there”, but Kadee Chu pointed out on his Facebook page that the authorities could use the lease violation lawsuit as an excuse to repossess the Next Media’s building in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate.
Chi-Ying Lai was arrested on March 3 after Apple Daily, without the approval of its landlord, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), allowed the use of the Next Media building at 8 Jun Ying Street by Nixco Consulting Limited, resulting in the acquisition of the Apple Daily Printing Co. The case was brought against Next Media, Inc. for fraudulently inducing or causing a substantial likelihood of prejudice to the company. As a result, a lawsuit was filed against the founder of Next Media, Chi-Ying Lai, the COO of Next Media, Dak Kuen Chow, and the CEO of Next Media, Wai Keung Wong, charging them with one count of fraud.
The case was arraigned in the West Kowloon Magistrate’s Court and eventually Zhou and Wong were allowed to go out on bail, but the National Security Appointed Judge, Chief Magistrate So Wai Tak, considered Chi-Ying’s absconding and recidivism risks and denied his application for bail, returning the scabbard to April 16, 2012. As far as we know, the prosecution argues that Tech Park is entitled to recover $19.8 million (HKD) in additional rental income for breach of contract and to reclaim the lot in question, which has a current value of $516 million.
On his personal Facebook page, Dick Chu raised the possibility of repossession of The Next Media Building, pointing out that the terms of the lease related to the Next Media case include: Article B11f – the use of the property by an affiliated or subsidiary company requires the prior consent of the landlord; Article B14 – no part of the property may be used for purposes other than “the publication and printing of newspapers and magazines”; and Article B15 – if the landlord determines that any part of the property is in violation of the use agreement and the tenant fails to correct the problem to the landlord’s satisfaction within a six-month notice period, the landlord may repossess the property, The Next Media Building, unconditionally.
If the lease is enforced in the most extreme way possible, what can the government do to The Next Media Building,” said Dick Chu. In the case of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC), it was questioned that the HKSTPC has tremendous powers, including the “capital punishment” of repossession, pointing out that there has been an increasing incidence of extraordinary measures to freeze assets and repossess property held by political enemies.
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) is a statutory body established by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to provide one-stop, collaborative support for “technology-based” companies and activities. Currently, the Corporation manages its own Hong Kong Science Park, as well as the Hong Kong Science and Technology Centre (now Innovation Centre) and three industrial estates previously managed by other companies. The Next Media Building is located in the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, which is owned by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.
Apple Daily quoted some legal sources as saying, “The whole thing was about repossession, the alleged breach of the lease, and that’s what Jubilee was talking about, and everybody knew that.
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