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HK TELECOM OPERATOR PCCW SUSPENDS PRIVATIZATION BID
HONG KONG, Apr 23, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) --
Hong Kong's premier telecom
operator PCCW (SEHK:0008) decided to shelf its privatization
bid Thursday, a day after a local court blocked the attempt.
PCCW Chairman Richard Li said here in a statement that the
co-offerors have decided not to extend the deadline of the
privatization as it expires on April 23.
"From a commercial perspective and taking into account the
company's interests...the privatization proposal will now
lapse," Li said.
The privatization proposal was put forward in February and
got the go-ahead at a shareholders meeting. However, a group of
minority shareholders lodged a complaint, saying the approval
was not valid since some shareholders were paid to vote in
favor of the scheme.
The approval was considered lawful by Hong Kong's High Court
on April 6.
But in a dramatic turn of events, Hong Kong's Court of
Appeal overturned the High Court ruling on Wednesday.
"We are disappointed at the ruling of the Court of Appeal
but we will await the release of the written judgment and we
will study the reasons for the Court's decision before
commenting further," Li said.
The chairman also said the board of PCCW has decided to
declare a special dividend payment of 1.30 HK dollars (US$0.17)
to shareholders in lieu of a final dividend for 2008.
(XIC)
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