Science Park Starts To Reclaim Land From Apple Daily

The Science and Technology Park Corporation has started the procedure to reclaim the land it leased to Apple Daily on the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, saying multiple violations were involved in the operations of the printing company.

The statutory body made the announcement as Apple Daily staff prepared the last edition of the pro-democracy newspaper on Wednesday night.

The corporation said it has taken the action in accordance with the terms of the contract, and had issued a notice of breach of contract to the company.

It added that no further comments would be made, as the matter had entered legal proceedings.

Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai is currently detained. He is facing multiple charges, including national security charges over alleged collusion with foreign forces.

He is also charged with fraud over the alleged use of the company's headquarters for purposes not permitted by the lease signed with the Science Park in 1995.

Just a day after the police raided the building again and arrested five executives under the national security law last week, DAB lawmaker Elizabeth Quat, who is an avid critic of the tabloid, was appointed as a new board member of the Science Park for two years from July 1, 2021.