Lai 'wanted indy writer even after his arrest'

Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying allegedly instructed Apple Daily staff to invite pro-independence writer Sang Pu to write a column even after he had been arrested and remanded in December 2020, a national security trial heard at a West Kowloon magistrate's court yesterday.

In testimony by former associate publisher Chan Pui-man on the 33rd day of Lai's trial, the prosecution presented WhatsApp chat records between her and then editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee from April 30, 2021, in which Chan inquired about possible Sang Pu contributions.

Chan said she was later informed by then publisher Cheung Kim-hung that the request to commission Sang Pu came from Lai himself.

Cheung had also asked her to remove some articles written by Lai, but she couldn't recall the exact timing.

Chan said she submitted her resignation on June 21, 2021, four days after her and other senior executives' arrests. In the event, she oversaw the production of Apple Daily's final edition, which was published on June 24.

When questioned over Lai's comments on print versions of the daily between April 2019 and December 2020, Chan recalled an incident in the second half of 2019 when he expressed dissatisfaction, in person and in text messages to her, over the shortness of a news report on foreign countries' pressure on Hong Kong and China over the protests. It was short due to time constraints.

The prosecution also referenced a staff meeting on May 18, 2021, during which Chan made remarks about staying on until the last moment despite rumors of a clampdown.

"Working for Apple Daily is not just about being a journalist. It is more than just a job," Chan was quoted as saying.

But Chan was uncertain whether she made those comments during the meeting or in an interview with reporters.

She said the daily had not faced any accusations over inaccurate news and that while some phrases were altered, the general direction remained the same.

To address staff concerns about fitting into the new legal environment or potentially violating the law, Cheung and then editor-in-chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong decided to avoid using phrases such as "Wuhan pneumonia" and "castrated election."

Senior counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung, for Lai, referred to an "Apple Daily editorial room agreement" - signed by senior managers, including Chan and Cheung, on behalf of the newspaper - that he said suggested it enjoyed editorial independence despite Lai's leadership.

Chan said that was the case "if Lai did not say a word."

She said if Lai made a recommendation or an order for Apple Daily to engage a writer, the then editor-in-chief, Ryan Law, had no opportunity to express an opinion or oppose the suggestion.

Pang also cited an article written by Chan in 2015, saying the newspaper is "always at the forefront of possible abuses of government power."

Pang suggested the daily had been exercising its fourth-estate function and criticizing authorities in the hope that they would change policies, which Chan agreed with.