The government has appointed three new members to the Council of University of Hong Kong (HKU) and one new member to the Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Some of them are considered to be pro-Beijing figures.
The new HKU Council members were appointed for a three-year term effective November 7.
One of the new appoints to the HKU Council is Edward Chow Kwong-fai, a member of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of Zhejiang province, and the former president of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Chow wrote in a newspaper column that students who charged into an HKU Council meeting room in July in protest were “little bastards.” He wrote that they were supported and organised by “middle-aged bastards” and “old bastards.”
He has also published several articles in newspapers criticising those involved with last year’s pro-democracy Occupy protests. He nominated Leung Chun-ying in 2011 to run in the Chief Executive election.
Army cadet recruiter
Daryl Ng Win-kong, another appointed member to the HKU Council, is an executive director of Sino Group, and the eldest son of the the group’s chairman Robert Ng Chee Siong.
He is also a member of the CPPCC of Beijing city.
He joined a march in August last year opposing the Occupy Central protests, which was originally planned to start on October 1. He told pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po that he joined the march to express his love for the country and Hong Kong, and to support universal suffrage and oppose Occupy.
Ng plays an important role in the operations of Hong Kong Army Cadets Association Limited, a new uniformed group which recruits local students to experience military life with the People’s Liberation Army. The group’s office is registered at New York House in Central, and the premises is owned by a company under Sino Group.
Dr Patrick Poon Sun-cheong, an actuary and deputy chairman of the HKU Convocation, was also appointed to the HKU Council.
Leaked recording of a re-appointed member
Meanwhile, Council member Leonie Ki Man-fung, a former manager of Leung Chun-ying’s election campaign, was re-appointed on Friday.
On the same day a leaked recording from the September 29 Council meeting surfaced, in which she criticised pro-democracy law scholar Johannes Chan’s appointment as pro-vice-chancellor.
It was rumoured that Arthur Li Kwok-cheung was to be appointed to be chairman of the Council instead, but as of Friday, the appointment has not been made.
Appointments to CUHK
Dr Maggie Koong May-kay was appointed to the Council of CUHK for a period of three years, effective November 27. She is a member of the CPPCC of Shanghai city.
She is the daughter of Christina Ting Yuk-chee, former chair of the Eastern District Council. She also became Chief Principal of Victoria Educational Organisation after her mother.
In 2008, she recorded a video to support lawmaker Regina Ip’s campaign for the Legislative Council election.
Former Council chairman Vincent Cheng Hoi-chuen was re-appointed for a six-month term, effective from October 24. His term originally ended on October 23, and local media reported that he could be appointed to be chairman once again.
