Update | Going down swinging: University of Hong Kong's Johannes Chan decries political interference and wants reasons after appointment defeat
Ex-law dean calls on HKU council to come clean on why it rejected him for a top post as international scholars come out to back him
Legal academic Johannes Chan Man-mun yesterday urged the University of Hong Kong's governing council to give a public explanation for its controversial decision to reject his appointment to a key managerial post, as renowned international scholars spoke up for him.
But Chan said he had no plan to challenge the decision in court, even though students and alumni were considering such a move as well as a class boycott.
The council set off a storm by voting 12-8 in a secret ballot on Tuesday night against a search committee's recommendation that Chan be made the pro-vice-chancellor in charge of academic staffing and resources.
READ MORE: University of Hong Kong's council votes 12-8 to reject Johannes Chan's appointment as pro-vice-chancellor
Opposition to Chan's appointment had been linked to the liberal scholar's close ties to colleague Benny Tai Yiu-ting, a co-founder of the pro-democracy Occupy Central movement.
On a radio programme yesterday, Chan said the council, being a statutory publicly funded body, had a duty to act fairly when exercising its powers.
"Rule number one is openness and transparency," the former law dean said. "Confidentiality should not be an excuse to avoid accountability to the public, especially when this matter has drawn a great deal of public interest."