Urn with Anita Mui's ashes missing from Po Lin Monastery on Lantau, family says
The family of late Cantopop star Anita Mui says the urn holding her ashes has been missing from a Po Lin Monastery columbarium since at least 18 July. Police are investigating, with no arrests so far.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2The family of late Hong Kong Cantopop star Anita Mui Yim-fong has revealed that the urn holding her ashes went missing from a Lantau monastery about three months ago, and says police have made "no progress" in their investigation. South China Morning PostN “The urn containing the ashes of late Hong Kong Cantopop star Anita Mui Yim-fong went missing from a monastery three months ago” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “saying police have made “no progress” in their investigation” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1The family made a public appeal in a statement issued on Saturday 10 October, Mui's birthday; Mui died in 2003 aged 40 and would have been 63. South China Morning PostN “The singer, who died in 2003 aged 40, would have been 63.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 2According to the statement, a fan paying tribute on 18 July found that the screws on the door panel of the niche at the Po Lin Monastery columbarium had come loose and the urn was gone. The fan told the family, who reported it to police. South China Morning PostN “The fan discovered that the screws on the door panel of the niche housing Mui’s ashes had come loose, and the urn inside was missing.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “The fan notified Mui’s family, who made a police report.” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1Po Lin Monastery is on the Ngong Ping plateau and is the site of the Tian Tan Buddha, or Big Buddha. The family said the niche had no portrait because they wanted a low-profile arrangement. CNAN “The monastery is located on the Ngong Ping plateau and is the site of the famous Tian Tan Buddha, or Big Buddha.”“The statement added that there was no portrait at the niche as the family wanted a low-profile arrangement.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2A police spokesman said on Sunday 11 October that the force received a report on 18 July that an item stored in a Lantau monastery was suspected to have gone missing. The case is classified as a request for police help and is being handled by the Lantau district crime squad. No arrest has been made, and police said they would keep in contact with the family. South China Morning PostN “The case has been classified as “request for police help” and is being investigated by Lantau district crime squad.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “No arrest has been made so far, the spokesman said.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2The family said the loss, coming after the earlier death of Mui's mother, was a "dual blow" causing "immense distress and mental torment". They asked friends, fans and the public for help, particularly anyone who visited the columbarium on or before 18 July and saw something suspicious, or who has car-cam footage. Tips can go to the Lantau district crime squad on 3661 1938 or by WhatsApp on 4740 1308. South China Morning PostN ““This incident has brought immense distress and mental torment to Mui’s family. Coupled with the earlier passing of Mui’s mother, the family is now enduring a dual blow” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN “They also appealed to those who drove to the columbarium to provide relevant car-cam footage.” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 2Mui Nation, a fan club with about 1,000 members, called the incident "extremely absurd" and urged the monastery's management to review security and explain what happened. Mui's apprentice Patrick Tam Yiu-man wrote on Threads that he hoped police would recover the urn soon and that he did not understand "why there is such negligence". South China Morning PostN “called for the monastery’s management to review its security arrangements and explain what happened.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ CNAN ““I really do not understand why there is such negligence,” he added.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 2CNA's version of the report says Po Lin Monastery declined to comment because the case is under investigation. Both outlets say the family is understood not to have received an extortion call demanding payment for the ashes's return, and that no other urns at the columbarium appear to be missing. CNAN “Po Lin Monastery said it would not comment on the case as it was under investigation.” Read at CNA ↗ South China Morning PostN “It was understood that Mui’s family did not receive any extortion call demanding payment for the return of the ashes. No other urns at the columbarium appear to have gone missing.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1The reports note a separate case in which anti-triad officers arrested a man over the suspected theft of urns from a Sha Tin columbarium, including those holding the ashes of kung fu master Lau Kar-leung. Nothing in the coverage links the two cases. South China Morning PostN “Anti-triad officers have arrested a man in connection with the suspected theft of urns from a columbarium in Sha Tin in November last year” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets run the same South China Morning Post report, led by the family's appeal and its complaint of police inaction. CNA republished it with a few additions.
- Emphasis
- The family's distress, the practical details of the appeal and tip lines, the police status, and fan and apprentice reactions in CNA's version.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither version has an account from Po Lin Monastery on how the niche was accessed. CNA only says the monastery declined to comment, and SCMP says it had contacted the monastery.
- Charged language
- “immense distress”“extremely absurd”“dual blow”
- For example
-
“The South China Morning Post has contacted the monastery for comment.” — South China Morning Post
“Po Lin Monastery said it would not comment on the case as it was under investigation.” — CNA
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The urn with Anita Mui's ashes was found missing from a Po Lin Monastery columbarium on Lantau on 18 July.
- Police are investigating through the Lantau district crime squad and have made no arrest.
- The family said police have made no progress after three months and appealed for information.
- The family is understood to have received no extortion call, and no other urns appear to be missing.
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
-
Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help
Sympathetic Reports the family's public appeal and police response, with fan club criticism of the monastery's security.
-
CNAN ·
Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help
Sympathetic Republishes the SCMP report, adding the monastery's no-comment and emotional reactions from fans and Patrick Tam.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 11 Oct 07:11 First South China Morning PostN Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help
- 12 Oct 03:39 +20h 28m CNAN Urn with Anita Mui’s ashes missing from Lantau monastery as family appeals for help
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.