On pressure: 'I did not receive any direct or indirect request or pressure from the secretary for education and manpower on a 'merger' ... between the institute and the CUHK.' On being an 'agent': 'In [Professor Morris'] view, I was acting as an agent for the secretary. I consider this to be a very serious and wrong accusation and a personal attack on my integrity.' On reappointment: 'I did not tell Professor Morris that his future and that of the institute depended on a merger.' Freedom of expression: 'Professor Morris previously sent an e-mail to me on May 22, 2003, complaining bitterly about newspaper articles critical of the institute written by an external council member, Ms Ada Wong. Professor Morris followed by verbally requesting me on two occasions to tell Ms Ada Wong to stop writing such articles and suggested informing the EMB not to renew the term of Ms Ada Wong. I did not take any action and in fact, I advised Professor Morris that freedom of expression should not be suppressed by the institute.' On 'honest broker': 'The term 'honest broker' was used by Professor Morris when he urged me to meet the chief executive.'
