Participant in Beijing-loyalist DAB's events dismisses concerns about political stance
JOYCE NGjoyce.ng@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Saturday, 24 October, 2015, 12:00am
UPDATED : Saturday, 24 October, 2015, 12:00am
The University of Hong Kong is embroiled in a months-long political storm. Photo: Reuters
A mainland postgraduate whose political stance is in question has won a seat on the governing body of the University of Hong Kong amid a months-long political storm and doubts over the transparency of the election.
In the online vote that drew only 3 per cent of HKU postgraduates, Zhu Ke beat rival Anabelle Mak Wing-man by 274 votes to 51 for the vacated seat. Eighteen voters abstained.
Zhu, an engineering student, previously joined activities run by the Beijing-loyalist Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.
The seat representing postgraduate students was considered significant after HKU council members voted 12-8 last month to reject pro-democracy scholar Professor Johannes Chan Man-mun's candidacy for pro-vice-chancellorship, a move seen by some as politically motivated.
After his victory was sealed yesterday, Zhu said he would have to "observe" before forming a view on forthcoming hot-button issues arising from the council, including the rumoured government appointment of Professor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung to chair the body.
"I don't know much about Li," Zhu told the South China Morning Post. "It may not help just by looking at what a person did in the past. But I will take reference from the students' referendum about him."
He was referring to a vote to be held by the students' union next week on two motions, one of which says Li, a former education minister and former Chinese University vice chancellor known for his high-handed style, is unsuitable for any governing positions at HKU.
An Economic Journal report yesterday said Zhu was close to DAB district councillors, including Siu Ka-yi.
"I had met Siu only several times before," he said. "I took part in the activities of some groups but I'm not concerned about their political backgrounds."
Johnson Yeung Ching-yeung, spokesman for a concern group of law students, said his group would not recognise Zhu as their representative.
"It's been a rule-less election with a low turnout. Zhu works with the pro-establishment and shuns questions about politics."
He criticised Zhu for declining to attend a pre-election forum held by the group to explain his position, and for failing to organise one himself.
An election for another three vacated seats, to be filled by professors, will be held next month.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1871556/mainland-chinese-participant-beijing-loyalist
