Suncity Group, the defunct junket firm that was formerly owned by disgraced businessman Alvin Chau, released a statement on social media yesterday boasting of its contribution to Macao’s development.
In its first Facebook post since November 2021, the company begins by noting that “in the blink of an eye over two years have passed” since Chau’s arrest, and that it was “enough time to reflect on the past dozen years or so.”
The post struck a tone that was strikingly similar to an open letter that Chau had penned to Chinese President Xi Jinping late last year, with its denial of wrongdoing. Much like that document, the post makes reference to the firm’s origins in Macao, stating that its “roots” were in the SAR.
The post goes on to mention the various contributions that the group made during its heyday, including the promotion of Macao’s events sector through its investment, organisation and sponsorship of over 50 large-scale concerts and performances in the city.
Some events that the company listed as having sponsored included the Macao Grand Prix, the Macao International Film Festival, Wushu Masters Challenge and Miss Macau.
Suncity’s charitable work and donations were also highlighted in the post, which mentioned that “we also established a Suncity volunteer team, football team, basketball team and dragon boat team, as well as the Inspirational Youth Association.”
[See more: Court of Final Appeal rejects Alvin Chau’s bid for a lower sentence]
The statement ends with the company stressing that its significant contribution to Macao stemmed from its love of the SAR and that it “truly hopes this city will become better and better.”
No author was given for the post. Many of the comments in response to the post were positive, with various users voicing their support for Chau, telling him to “add oil” – a Cantonese expression of encouragement.
Chau is currently sentenced to 18-years behind bars after being arrested in 2021 for a number of crimes, including participation in organised crime, illegal gambling operations and money laundering.
Despite the charges, Chau has maintained his innocence, writing in his letter to Xi that “in general casino crimes…are usually at most worth a few years of imprisonment, so why is the crime in this case so serious?”
The former junket operator attempted to appeal his sentence, but was unsuccessful after the Court of Final Appeal ruled earlier this month that it would remain unchanged.
In 2022, Suncity Group was rebranded LET (“Leisure, Entertainment and Taste”) Group Holdings. A statement released at the time noted that the name change was meant to reflect the company’s new focus on the tourism sector.
