University of Hong Kong Council member Arthur Li Kwok-cheung has warned pro-vice-chancellor candidate Johannes Chan Man-mun as well as the Civic Party not to stir up political disputes over the appointment, cautioning that this would hurt academic freedom at the university.

Li revealed on a radio program on Friday that Chan was listed as candidate for the post of pro-vice-chancellor as early as last December, even before the then provost Roland Chin Tai-hong decided to leave the post.

But when ensuing scandals concerning mishandling of donations related to "Occupy Central" changed council members' minds early this year, Chan and the Civic Party decided to disclose the issue to the public and politicize it.

Li blasted the Civic Party for using a regular personnel appointment process to attack the university and set the political agenda in the city.

"It seriously hurt academic freedom and eroded HKU's autonomy," Li said.

In a viral Internet video published by local Web-based media, three key members of the Civic Party - the party's founder and chairwoman Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, legislator Alan Leong Kah-kit and former legislator Tanya Chan Suk-chong - appeared at the site with loudspeakers when a group of students stormed the HKU Council meeting.

Johannes Chan is former dean of HKU's law faculty and a Civic Party member.

Li also recapped the whole process of the Johannes Chan controversy, pointing out that his involvement in the donation scandal was one of the major reasons for his appointment being deferred.

Now the HKU Council has voted 12-6 to wait until another key role supervising the post, the provost, is filled.

Li said such a decision was made in accordance with the rules. He revealed that the choice of the new provost would probably be submitted to the governing council by the end of this month.

Li said that a pro-vice-chancellor is a deputy to the provost, so listening to the new provost's opinion before making the decision was obviously justified.

Li asked about Chan's role in leaking confidential information of his appointment in the early stages of the process, and expressed reluctance about continuing his support for Chan.

Chan was suspected of leaking information to secure his post, by using public pressure after the donation scandal.

Meanwhile, Li denied that HKU Council members were making decisions under pressure. He said the 23 prominent council members should be trusted.

Previously, the council had voted twice to name a new provost before deciding on the pro-vice-chancellor.

Last month, a group of students stormed a HKU Council meeting after members voted down a motion to speed up the appointment of a pro-vice-chancellor.

luisliu@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 08/08/2015 page6)