Veteran press executive Arthur Shek resigns after controversy over ‘caning’ remarks at Hong Kong pro-police rally
- Shek resigns from director’s position at Hong Kong Economic Times, which he co-founded, after urging rally attendees on Saturday to discipline protesters with force
- After violence in Yuen Long on Sunday, newspaper’s staff sign petition of protest, prompting Shek to withdraw remarks and apologise
A veteran Hong Kong executive has quit the leadership of the newspaper group he co-founded following controversy over his remarks that violent anti-government protesters should be caned.
Arthur Shek Kang-chuen, associate publisher of the Hong Kong Economic Times and executive director of the newspaper group, had his resignation accepted by the company’s board on Tuesday with immediate effect.
In a public notice, issued by the group chairman Lawrence Fung Siu-por, the company said Shek, who handed in his resignation on Monday, “wishes to pursue his other personal interests”. Shek will remain as a columnist of the newspaper group, according to the notice.
“Mr Shek has confirmed that he has no disagreement with the board and there is no matter relating to his resignation which needs to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the company,” the notice said.
The board thanked Shek for his “valuable contribution” to the company.