Hong Kong’s Next Digital on Tuesday denied media reports that it had sold Taiwan’s Apple Daily news Web site.
The company, which is under liquidation, said in a Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing that it refuted “certain media reports.”
However, its liquidators said the company has disposed of its business in Taiwan for more than NT$300 million (US$10.09 million), adding that they are investigating the reports and would “take necessary action” if any unauthorized disposal of its business has occurred.
Photo: Wu Yueh-hsiu, Taipei Times
Next Digital subsidiary Apple Daily Public Development Ltd “holds the business of Taiwan Apple Daily,” the filing said.
CONTRADICTION
The liquidators contradicted a statement the Apple Daily posted on its Web site on Wednesday last week saying that its sale and transfer to a new owner had been completed.
While the statement did not name the new owner, anonymous sources told Chinese-language media that the buyers are Singaporean entrepreneur Joseph Phua (潘杰賢) and Hong Kong businessman Kenny Wee (黃浩).
The Apple Daily’s prospective takeover has also sparked concerns that the company could be used by Chinese authorities to infiltrate Taiwan’s media landscape, prompting Taipei to vow “strict scrutiny” of any potential sale.
The Hong Kong-based print edition of the Apple Daily was forced to shut down in June last year following the arrest of several newspaper executives and journalists, and the freezing of the company’s assets.
Next Digital in May last year stopped publishing the paper’s Taiwanese print edition, but has continued operating as an online news site.
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