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<!-- story content : start -->HONG KONG - THE Hong Kong
starlet at the centre of a sex photos scandal said on Monday she
had been 'naive and silly' as the media storm over the explicit
images reached a frenzy in the celebrity-obsessed city.
Gillian Chung, one of several leading Canto-pop and film stars
whose photos in compromising positions have been plastered across
the Internet, made a brief statement to a horde of journalists
after meeting with her fans.
The singer of popular Canto-pop group, Twins, voiced for the
first time her anguish over the leaked pictures.
'This incident has tormented and hurt me and the people around
me. I admit that I used to be very naive and very silly, but I've
already grown up now,' she told 150 reporters, photographers and
cameramen.
'I thank my company, family and friends for their care and
support. I deeply regret the impact the incident has caused to
society and people. I will work hard in the future and will
positively face my life ahead ... I am thankful for the fans who
haven't given up on me,' said Chung who is popular with teenage
girls.
She is one of at least seven stars to be sucked into the twists
and turns of the scandal over the photos which has dominated
headlines in the southern Chinese territory for several weeks.
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singer-actor Edison Chen with a string of Hong Kong starlets
including Chung, actress Cecilia Cheung, and former actress Bobo
Chan.
Chen, star of 'Grudge 2', has been romantically linked to all
three in the past. The pictures with Chung are reported to have
been taken as far back as 2001.
Media reports say the photos were copied from Chen's computer
when he sent it in for repairs. The photos first started appearing
several weeks ago on the Internet, and were initially dismissed as
hoaxes.
Local media also reported that CDs filled with hundreds of the
racy pictures have appeared in the shops of the neighbouring
Chinese city of Shenzhen and quickly sold out.
Vincy Yeung, Chen's current girlfriend and niece of the boss of
Chen's management company, Emperor Entertainment Group, has told
the media that she will stand by her man, despite pictures
resembling her being published on the Internet over the
weekend.
Last week, Chen issued a statement on video website YouTube, in
which he apologised to 'anyone who has been affected by this
strange, strange ordeal'.
'The lives of many innocent people have been affected by this
malicious and criminal conduct,' he added.
The police have made several arrests linked to the case, but
have faced criticism that they have been over-zealous. Hundreds of
Internet users marched on Sunday to protest over the force's
handling of the case.
John Tong, the city's newly-appointed Catholic bishop has even
weighed in, saying people should stop passing on the pictures,
according to the South China Morning Post.
'It is also biblical teaching that we should speak no evil, see
no evil and hear no evil. It is important that we should keep our
mind decent and, perhaps needless to say, we should not post or
circulate pictures,' he said, when asked about the scandal.
Hong Kong's media competes tirelessly to break scoops about the
city's film and pop stars, whose popularity often extends across
Asia. -- AFP
http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/STIStory_205338.html
