The Chief Executive (CE) Chui Sai On claimed yesterday that the RMB100 million (MOP123 million) donation made to Jinan University was approved after the usual approval procedures.
The CE informed that any donation above MOP500,000 has to be approved by the trustee committee of Macau Foundation, which previously established regulations of its own. “Decisions are not made by a single chairman,” said Chui, adding that Jinan University has done a lot of work to help local high- school education. “According to our references, the university trained over 20,000 graduates from Macau,” noted Chui.
Chui also noted that his appointment as chairman of the Macau Foundation and as vice-chairman of two mainland universities, namely Jinan University and Huaqiao University, is the result of the system. The convention dictates that he would sit in these positions when he “was elected and selected as the CE.” He further clarified that he does not receive any benefits whatsoever for being in those positions.
Chui Sai On, pictured yesterday
According to a report by Jornal Cheng Pou, 11 local groups announced a demonstration will take place on Sunday, appealing to the government to withdraw the donation that is intended to sponsor the construction of two dormitories and an academic building
Chui commented on the upcoming demonstration: “The government truly respects people’s freedom of speech, of demonstration, of gathering, etc., as long as it obeys the law.”
Earlier this week, the Macau Foundation president said the approval of the subsidy to Jinan University was the outcome of a collective decision.
Wu Zhiliang emphasized that the whole process was legal and in line with the Foundation’s strict approval requirements.
“The whole process is legal. The decision was a collective deliberation. We analyzed the budget and deemed that the subsidy is a reasonable one,” Wu said, as cited by TDM.
Wu Zhiliang explained that the subsidy request was submitted by the university itself and that this is the first time in recent years that the Macau Foundation is supporting the construction of buildings outside the MSAR. The foundation stresses that the rationale behind the subsidy is related to the number of local students enrolled in Jinan University’s programs. Staff reporter
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