Jinan Uni donation not listed in Macao Foundation Q2 report

The Macao Foundation (FM) has published in the Official Gazette a list of the financial support it provided to individuals and institutions during the second quarter of 2016. The publically available data was provided by the FM on July 21, but does not include any of the payments relating to the controversial Jinan University donation, despite the fact that the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) found them “legal” last month.
During the second quarter, the total amount distributed to various beneficiaries slightly exceeded MOP211.5 million, down from the MOP300 million donated in the first quarter of the year.
The two largest beneficiaries of the foundation in this period were the Kiang Wu Hospital Charitable Association and the City University of Macau, according to the report. The organizations were collectively granted MOP74.5 million.
The Kiang Wu Hospital received MOP38.5 million for the acquisition of medical and computer equipment and the refurbishment of the facility.
The City University of Macau, the second largest beneficiary on the list, was awarded MOP36 million by the foundation for a total of 25 items relating to “financial support to fund studies, academic publications, teaching activities, equipment and grants to students of the university, [all] for the academic year 2015/2016.”
Other significant bodies and associations that received substantial sums from the Macao Foundation were the Women’s General Association of Macau (MOP12 million), the Macau University of Science and Technology (MOP11 million), the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao (MOP10 million), Caritas Macau (5.25 million), House of Portugal in Macau (5 million) and the Macao Federation of Trade Unions (4.1 million).
A notable absence from the published list of FM beneficiaries is Jinan University, to which a RMB100 million (MOP120 million) donation has been promised. Early reports suggested that the first payment of RMB50 million is due at some unspecified point this year for the construction of a media studies center.
The donation came under fire earlier this year after it was alleged that the agreement had been compromised as a result of a conflict of interest by the Chief Executive Chui Sai On, who serves as both the president of the Board of Trustees of the Macao Foundation as well as a vice chairman of the Jinan University Council. However, the matter was cleared after a brief CCAC investigation in late-June, which found the donation not to be in breach of the law.
If the RMB50 million (MOP60 million) were included in the report for this quarter, it would easily outstrip the sums donated to the next two largest beneficiaries, Kiang Wu Hospital (MOP38.5 million) and the City University of Macau (MOP36 million). The donation is also considered to be the single largest donation to Jinan University since its reopening in 1978.
During the second quarter of 2016, the Macao Foundation separately organized a MOP80,000 donation to the Jinan University Alumni Association, as the final installment of ongoing financial assistance to “support the expenses of drafting a 2015 business plan.”
Additionally, the Association of Students of the Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Jinan University of Macau received MOP30,000 during the quarter, to “partially cover the expenses of drafting a 2016 business plan.”