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Alex Lo

Baptist University yesterday came under attack for spending $3.2 million to renovate its president's residence before he moved in last  year.

Critics asked why, at a time of funding cuts, the university  spent money on renovations on the property in Broadcast Drive, Kowloon Tong.

'It's not the amount I am questioning - I don't know how much home renovation costs these days,' said Democrat legislator Cheung Man-kwong, who represents the education sector.

'It's the idea that when all eight tertiary institutions in Hong Kong are suffering 10 per cent funding cuts and universities are urged to cut down on unnecessary spending, the president allowed that amount to be spent on his own residence at the university's expense.

'How can it  convince staff to cut back and save resources when it spent millions on their top boss?'

The seven universities and the Institute of Education will suffer a 10 per cent cut in funding next year.

The luxury three-storey, 3,000 sq ft house was built in 1978 and was occupied by the university's co-founder and former president, Daniel Tse Chi-wai, until his retirement in 2001.

It underwent extensive renovation early last year before the current president and vice-chancellor, Ng Ching-fai, moved in. Professor Ng is on holiday and unavailable for comment.

The university's public relations office  in Kowloon Tong acknowledged $2.9 million had been spent on renovations and a further $300,000 on furniture and the upgrading of water pipes, electric wiring and air-conditioning.

But a university spokeswoman said the house had never been renovated before and it was necessary to upgrade utilities based on 1970s standards.

'The tiles in the bathrooms were taken from left-overs from the university. The renovation used the most basic, cheap materials. Even the wall paint was of the inexpensive kind,' she said.

Kenneth Chan Ka-lok, an assistant professor of government and international studies at Baptist University, said the money was spent at a politically sensitive time, but otherwise would not comment on whether it was justified. 'I don't know how seriously the university had considered the sensitive nature of the renovation, given its cost,' he said.



University condemned for spending $3.2m on president's home despite big funding cuts