‘Absolutely unfair’: CY Leung blasts HKU alumni vote of no confidence in Dr Leong Che-hung
Leung Chun-ying defends university’s former council chairman, sidesteps question on motion rejecting Arthur Li’s ascent to chairmanship
It was “absolutely unfair” for alumni and staff of the University of Hong Kong to pass a no-confidence motion against the school’s former council chairman Dr Leong Che-hung, the city’s top official said today.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was referring to a special meeting on Sunday conducted by HKU Convocation, a statutory body comprising 165,450 graduates and staff. At a poll that day, over 96 per cent of the 4,454 who cast ballots voted overwhelmingly in favour of all five motions relating to the delayed and denied appointment of liberal law don Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun to a key managerial post.
With regard to a motion on executive councillor Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung’s possible ascent to the university council’s chairmanship – which almost 98 per cent opposed in Sunday’s vote – Leung sidestepped questions seeking his thoughts on the result and instead highlighted other motions.
READ MORE: ‘No’ to Arthur Li as chairman: Hong Kong University alumni vote against CY Leung’s top aide to lead council
He questioned the voters’ reasoning in passing a no-confidence motion over Leong, who recently retired from his position as chairman of the university council.
Speaking ahead of today’s executive council meeting, Leung said: “I think this is absolutely unfair. Leong has given his all for HKU ... what are the arguments to support passing a vote of no-confidence against him?”
The chief executive also took aim at a motion claiming the disclosure of details of the closed-door council meeting at which members rejected Chan was in the public interest and in the spirit of the school’s whistle-blowing policy.
READ MORE: ‘Anyone but Arthur Li Kwok-cheung’: HKU alumni vote again on Hong Kong University council chairman
Leung said all university council members had signed a confidentiality agreement before attending the meeting, but “someone” – with apparent reference to HKU student union president Billy Fung Jing-en – called a press conference and revealed the private deliberations.
“Is such an act reasonable?” he asked. “Is that consistent with the beliefs of the some 90 per cent of voters [who backed the motion]?”
Education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen had earlier said the poll result “spoke for itself” and that “any reasonable, rational chief executive” would not proceed with trying to elevate Li, dubbed ‘King Arthur’ by some for his hardline leadership.
