Macau Asia Satellite Television (MAST) was declared bankrupt by the Court of First Instance last week, TDM reports.
The troubled Chinese-language broadcaster’s creditors have until mid-September to file their repayment claims.
Established in 2001, MAST has been engaged in labour disputes since around 2018 – both in Macao and in Taiwan. The station broadcasts in Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
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In light of the disputes, the Labour Bureau cut all non-resident labour quotas for the broadcaster, local media have reported. MAST has been accused of denying promised wages and of paying staff irregularly. In 2021, lawmaker Ella Lei held a press conference where workers complained about delays in payments due back in 2019.
In the 2010s, MAST’s offices were subjected to a series of raids by police and government officers – who claimed to be searching for illegal workers. According to the South China Morning Post’s coverage at the time, none were found.
MAST reportedly relied on government funding to run its programmes, which are mostly aimed at promoting Macao.
