My Take | A lesson in bad manners from the University of Hong Kong

An undignified public feud between two top officials is a poor reflection on our top seat of learning, but sadly typical of our divided society

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Li was caught in a publicised email spat where he said of the head of the Academic Staff Association, “stupidity has no cure”. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 2:27am, 27 Jan 2017Updated: 2:27am, 27 Jan 2017

The internet and politics bring out the worst in people. Consider the latest public spat at the University of Hong Kong between council chairman Arthur Li Kwok-cheung and William Cheung Sing-wai, head of the Academic Staff Association.

A fine example these two academic leaders have offered their students in manners and etiquette! Or is it that they are taking after their own rebellious and insolent pupils? Either way, it does not reflect well on Hong Kong’s oldest and most prestigious institution of higher learning.

In an open email exchange, Cheung accused Li of being “a liar” for failing to deliver a review of governance standards at the university, and said he should quit as a favour to everyone. Despite Cheung’s rudeness, Li might have taken the initiative to clarify whether or not he planned to deliver the review. Instead, he fired back a sarcastic reply in which he implied Cheung had “no intelligence or rationality”.

“After all, stupidity has no cure,” he wrote.

Cheung wrote back, suggesting Li himself suffered from the incurable condition and would make sure everyone knew about it.