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FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo FRIDAY T. 7º/ 13º Air Quality Bad MOP 8.00 3690 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 08 Jan 2021 HKD 10.00 THE MEDIA OUTLET PLATAFORMA GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS MAJOR SHAREHOLDER URGES MGM HAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED RESORTS TO SELL 20% OF ITS MACAU THE OPERATION OF THEIR ONLINE LAUNCHING THIRD FINANCIAL OPERATION TO CHINESE FIRMS IN LISBON NEWSROOM STIMULUS MEASURES OPEN LETTER P4 P3 P2 AP PHOTO EVA BUCHO EVA China Two former journalists were convicted of defaming a third STABLE AND journalist by publishing an account accusing him of sexual misconduct. A court in Hangzhou ruled that the evidence provided by Zou Sicong and He Qian against prominent IMPROVINGSecretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong journalist Deng Fei was “not enough to allow forecasts that Macau economy will be ‘stable and someone to firmly believe P3 without any hesitation improving’ in 2021 that what was described truly happened.” The court ordered He and Zou to pay 11,712 yuan in damages. They plan to appeal the ruling. AP PHOTO Japan has declared a state of emergency for Tokyo and three nearby areas as coronavirus cases continue to surge, hitting a daily record of 2,447 in the capital. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga issued the declaration at the government task force for the coronavirus. It kicks in today until Feb. 7, and centers around asking restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m. and people to stay home and not mingle in crowds. AP PHOTO South Korea says it will extend its ban on incoming flights from Britain for until AP PHOTO USA January 21. Authorities said they’ve found three additional cases of the After more contagious variant of the coronavirus identified in the U.K, taking excusing the total to 14. South Korea has also found one violence, case of a coronavirus variant detected in South Africa. All foreigners Trump entering South Korea will Blue cards be required to submit acknowledges negative COVID-19 test at risk at results starting today. TDM Biden victory More on backpage P4 P8 page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 08.01.2021 fri MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER the potential partnership be- tween a Chinese investor and EVA BUCHO EVA MGM China’s Co-Chairman Pansy Ho – who has been a pro- minent figure in driving Ma- cau’s diversification projects and shares close ties with Chi- na – could further deepen the city’s economic diversification and integration with the Grea- ter Bay Area cities. The transaction, once made, would unleash capital for MGM Resorts to secure an integrated resort opportunity in Osaka, Ja- pan, which would catapult the group into position as the lar- gest winner in Japan’s gaming industry. The move will also provide increased financial flexibili- ty for MGM Resorts to “pur- sue M&A in the secular growth market of online sports betting and gaming,” the letter writes. MGM Resorts issued a re- Investor urges MGM Resorts ply to the letter on January 6, saying “MGM Resorts remains committed to Macau and will to sell 20% of Macau stake to continue to take actions that are in the best interests of its sha- Chinese firms in open letter reholders and stakeholders.” Currently, MGM Resorts has HONEY TSANG Investment Officer at Snow to be completed by the fourth Ma identified several potential a 56% stake in MGM China. Lake Capital, expounded on quarter of the year. A finalized candidates, namely China’s lea- Snow Lake Capital, which in- NVESTMENT firm Snow Lake one of the rationales that “the draft bill will be submitted to ding shopping platform Mei- creased its stakes in MGM Chi- ICapital published an open le- new strategic investor will bring the Legislative Assembly for the tuan, online travel agency Trip. na through two transactions tter on January 6 to convince significant non-gaming resour- public re-tender process of the com, hotel management com- in September and October last MGM Resorts International to ces to both MGM Chi- pany Huazhu Group year, proposed MGM Resorts sell off 20% of its MGM Chi- na and Macau,” which and Sunac China Hol- scale its stake down by 20%. na stakes to a leading Chinese he stressed would be Ma said having them dings, a property deve- The spokesperson of MGM consumer or travel and leisu- conducive to a higher as a strategic partner loper which also runs China told the Times yesterday re company – either of which chance that MGM Chi- tourism project Sunac that it could not make com- would be regarded as a “strate- na would secure a new is ‘a key differentiating China. ments over the letter at the time gic shareholder.” concession in 2022. Given the extensi- as this is a matter concerning In the letter to MGM’s board, Macau’s six gaming factor’ for MGM in ve client base of these its mother company, MGM Re- the Asian investment manage- concessions are going obtaining a new companies, Ma said sorts. ment firm, which holds 7.5% to expire in June 2022. having them as a stra- Earlier in December, the CE of MGM China Holdings Ltd’s In 2020, Macau’s concession tegic partner is “a key said for the first time “anything 2282.HK shares as its largest pu- Chief Executive (CE) Ho differentiating factor” is possible” for a potential ex- blic shareholder, outlined the Iat Seng confirmed the for MGM in obtaining tension of the six concessions. benefits of the proposed tran- plan to axe the sub-concession gaming concessions to move a new concession and will be a Under the current gaming law, saction across by spelling out model, and to commence revi- forward. “win-win transaction” for both the CE has the right to prolong “six main reasons”. sing the gaming law in the first Regarding the “strategic sha- parties. the concessions for up to five Sean Ma, Founder & Chief quarter of 2021, a task slated reholder” in this transaction, Meanwhile, he added that years. LAS VEGAS SANDS Adelson takes leave for cancer treatment BLOOMBERG AS Vegas Sands Corp. bert Goldstein will now strip to Macau. benefit of their children Lfounder and Chief Exe- take up Adelson’s duties as He has long suffered own a majority of Sands cutive Officer Sheldon acting chairman and acting from peripheral neuropa- shares. His long-time No. Adelson is taking a leave CEO, according to a state- thy, a disorder that makes 2 Goldstein signed a new of absence after resuming ment. it difficult for him to walk. contract in 2018 that runs treatment for cancer. Adelson, 87, is the The cancer often made him until 2024. Adelson had retained his company’s majority sha- too weak to come to the He is a prominent donor executive role since the reholder and one of the office or attend company to Republican politics in company revealed in 2019 world’s biggest gambling events. the U.S., having backed ou- that he had non-Hodgkin’s moguls, overseeing ope- Adelson, his wife, Mi- tgoing President Donald J. lymphoma. President Ro- rations from the Las Vegas riam, and trusts for the Trump. MDT/BLOOMBERG www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION ASSISTANT EDITOR_Lynzy Valles SENIOR WRITER_Honey Tsang CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Leanda Lee, Severo Portela, Sheyla Zandonai ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Daniel Beitler, Emilie Tran, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! 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Comercial Rodrigues, 12 Floor C, Zhu, Juliet Risdon, Linda Kennedy, Paulo Cordeiro de Sousa, Renato Marques, Richard Whitfield, Viviana Seguí MACAU SAR Telephones: +853 287 160 81/2 Fax: +853 287 160 84 DESIGNERS_Eva Bucho, Miguel Bandeira | ASSOCIATE CONTRIBUTORS_JML Property, MdME Lawyers, Advertisement [email protected] +20,000 PokerStars, Ruan Du Toit Bester | NEWS AGENCIES_ Associated Press, Bloomberg, MacauHub, MacauNews, Xinhua For subscription and general issues: [email protected] | Printed at Welfare Printing Ltd Like us on facebook.com/mdtimes SECRETARY_Yang Dongxiao [email protected] SEND NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION AND PRESS RELEASES TO: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.MACAUDAILYTIMES.COM.MO www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 3 fri 08.01.2021 澳門 MACAU MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER HONEY TSANG HE government will con- sider rolling out the third round of stimulus mea- MARQUES RENATO sures under “special cir- Tcumstances,” the Director of the Economic Bureau (DSE), Tai Kin Ip, said. Tai’s remarks were delivered in response to a query raised by lawmaker Leong Sun Iok over whe- ther the SAR government would earmark another budget for ano- ther round of stimulus packages. In view of Macau’s steadily re- covering economy, the authorities will closely monitor the Covid-19 pandemic situation in neighbo- ring countries and cities, Tai stated. The official also stressed that the government will consider in- troducing the third round of finan- cial support in a timely manner to assist people in need under special circumstances, after taking into account the “overall situation” and “practice needs.” However, Tai did not spell out what constitutes a special cir- cumstance. The government’s latest move is considered music to one’s ears for PANDEMIC RELIEF many in the city, as many busines- ses and employees have been con- cerned that local jobs and firms may be put on the line following Gov’t to consider launching the expiration of the last relief scheme, which was due at the end of December in 2020.