Hong Kong student leaders: 'political rewards' spurred appointment of anti-Occupy lawyers and Beijing adviser to university's top body

Two anti-Occupy lawyers and a Beijing adviser have been appointed by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to the governing council of Lingnan University, sparking concern among student leaders at the institution.

Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, a former president of the Law Society, solicitor Maggie Chan Man-ki, and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference representative Michael Ngai Ming-tak were among the five people appointed yesterday.

The announcement, published in the Government Gazette, drew an angry response from Lingnan student leaders, who slammed the appointments as a sign of intensifying political interference at the institution.

The news followed the saga over Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun, the liberal scholar who was last week rejected for a pro-vice-chancellor post at the University of Hong Kong.

Nathan Law Kwun-chung, secretary-general of the Federation of Students and formerly head of Lingnan's student union, said: "It seems to me these are political rewards for Ho's and Chan's efforts in opposing the Occupy movement."

He added that he doubted Chan was suitable for the post, questioning the adequacy of her public service experience.

Law also said the government should change its practice of not explaining the basis for its appointments to universities' governing bodies.