Return/Refund on 'Leslie Cheung Legend Forever' - Mingpao Publications

Dear friends,

The book published by Mingpao Publications Ltd. on April 1, "Leslie Cheung, Legend Forever" (hereafter referred to as "the Book") contained mostly misleading and distorted information on Leslie.  Please check for comments on this book at http://books.mingpao.com and you will see the issues. Currently there are more than 270 comments written by readers. This book not only defamed Leslie, disappointed us, but also betrayed Mingpao.

Many fans had called Mingpao to lodge their complaints and asked for return/refund. Ms. Hui of Mingpao Publications had agreed to the return/refund on April 7 and yet, when fans brought in their books on April 8, Mingpao denied the return and refused to take back the books. 

Grace was kind enough to volunteer to go visiting Mingpao Publications yesterday afternoon and had a friendly meeting with seven executives at 5:45 pm on April 8. Among executives Poon Yiu Ming (Chief Editor, General Manager), Kristy Kwong So Mei (Copyright Officer, Editor), Agnes Li Siu Mei (Assistant Editor), Shum Hon Wo (In-house Legal Officer) and Jessie Lai Yee Man (Assistant Copyright Officer) participated in the meeting. Herebelow were discussed:

Mr. Poon Yiu Ming (Chief Editor, General Manager) told Grace that, upon reading the comments from readers on the Mingpao web, he called upon the two writers of the book to see him, trying to find out what had gone wrong. The two "writers" brought along the hand scripts of a book** which was previously published in Mainland China after Leslie left us. They explained to Mr. Poon that they had already extracted the best parts of the scripts (i.e. there were words which were more defaming in the original scripts) for the Book. Unfortunately, Mr. Poon adopted the same story in an effort to convince Grace that there wasn't problem with the content of the book.

Yet, the Mingpao executives were patient enough to listen to the points raised by Grace proving most of the texts were untrue and defaming, and they were convinced that Mingpao was taken in by the two "writers".

Following are the remedies offered by Mingpao Publications:

1.  The Book can be returned and be fully refunded. 

For fans in Hong Kong - Please fill in the attached "Return/Refund Form" and bring it to Mingpao Publications Ltd. along with the book/poster (if it came along with the book) and your receipt. Mingpao will then arrange refund accordingly.

For fans out of Hong Kong -  Please mail the Book and poster to Leslie Legacy along with your receipt to: Room 318, 3/F., Shun Tak Centre, 200 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong, and we will send you the refund amount upon receipt from Mingpao Publications. Don’t forget to give your name, address, e-mail address to Grace for followup.

2. Mingpao Publications will not sell any further copy to any bookstore, any news-stand, nor any distribution channel as from April 9.

3.  Mingpao Publications will publish a revised version of the Book. 

Dear friends, it is important that fans will unite together to show our gesture and attitude towards some distorted and defaming writings on Leslie when possible and while we can. We didn't do enough to protect Leslie from harmful writings when he was here which could attribute to his depression. Hope that we can do something to show the media that they will get their fair share if they are not fair to Leslie.

** The book is "....", which costs RMB25, was published in April 2003 in Beijing by "..." The writers were the same writers as the Book. We found that the texts of "Leslie Cheung, Legend Forever" are identical to "..."

Yours truly,

Leslie Legacy Association - April 10, 2004

Download here: RETURN FORM

April 15, 2004

Dear friends,

Further to the first meeting between Grace and the Mingpao Publication executives on April 8 (details were reported previously), Grace had a second meeting with Mr. Luben, Hui Ming Wing (Circulation Director) and Mr. Shum Hon Wo (In-house Legal Officer) of Mingpao Group yesterday.

The second meeting was deemed necessary because of the change of attitude on the part of Mingpao Group pertaining to the previous agreed arrangements per the first meeting. Their responses to fans’ enquiry were totally inconsistent with their remedial actions offered on April 8.

After Mingpao Publications resumed office on April 13 after the Easter holidays, fans called up Mingpao to inquire on the return/refund matter. The staff responded by reading out a statement given to them: "We do not have any return/refund policy, yet, if you are not satisfied with the book, you can bring in your book and receipt to our office and you can state your reasons of dissatisfaction in writing. We will then consider your case". (hereinafter referred as the Statement) This is inconsistent with what had been agreed.

In the second meeting, Mr. Hui and Mr. Shum made a different set of policy for the return/refund:

1. The return/refund applies to books
a) pre-ordered to Mingpao Publications (i.e. books ordered at prices either at $238 or at $185) or;
b) ordered on the Mingpao Publications web
c) with receipts (if available)

2. The deadline for returning the books (both local and overseas) is April 30, 2004.

3. Fans who reside locally, has to call or e-mail to Mingpao and bring in the book to their office, individually.

With respect to this point, we must add that:

Mr. Hui and Mr. Shum admitted that they would not openly tell the fans that the books can be returned as it is not acceptable to their management to have such precedent case. As such, when fans call in to inquire on this matter, they would give a standard response per above Statement. However, they will process the return and refund whenever fans bring in their book requesting for return/refund. Please note, the Mingpao staff will repeat the same Statement when you bring in the book to their office. Just tell them that you WANT the book to be returned and refunded, they will then give you a form to fill in and a receipt acknowledgement will be given to you. Refund will then be processed accordingly.

4. For fans out of Hong Kong, Mr. Shum confirmed, after consulting their top management, that Mingpao will accept a consolidated return through Leslie Legacy, on condition that we can provide the full names and e-mail address or phone numbers of the owners of the books.

As such, fans from overseas who want to return the book to show our gesture, please mail your book to Leslie Legacy Association at Room 318, 3/F., Shun Tak Centre, 200 Connaught Road, Central along with full name, e-mail address/phone number of each book being returned. We will consolidate the return/refund for you.

Dear friends, these are what we can negotiate with Mingpao at the present moment, though this may not be the best of what we want to get. Yet, returning the book is the very important immediate step to show fans’ gesture and attitude. Further actions on this matter by different parties can be pursued in due course.

So, we urge you to take immediate action to show your dissatisfaction on this publication so as to protect the name of Leslie from any undue and unnecessary defamation.

There is no need to fill in the previous Return/Refund form as it is no longer applicable due to the change of Mingpao's return policy.

Yours truly,
Leslie Legacy Association

April 17, 2004

Dear friends,

This is our third letter on 'Legend Forever'.

Fans started to return the book to Mingpao Publications this weekend. Mingpao Publications requires 1) the book, 2) poster, 3) receipt for the return (all the books being pre-ordered came with posters). Things seemed to go well on the return as long as the above three items are available.

Despite the fact that Mingpao Publications executives had agreed in their first meeting on April 7 that they would stop supplying the Book to any bookstore or retailers, yet, they had not kept their promise and the Mingpao Publications staff admitted yesterday that stocks are being continuously supplied to retailers.

Latest news from the Mr. Shum, the legal advisor, he said that Mingpao had already bought the copyright from the book previously published in the Mainland, '...'

This is Mingpao Publications!

Yours truly,
Leslie Legacy Association

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