Jason Chao and Kam Sut Leng
A group that refers to itself as “Umac Watchdog” announced its official establishment yesterday. Jason Chao, one of the founding members said that the objective of the group is to exert external pressure on the University of Macau (UM) administration, and to monitor the university to ensure it protects the public interest.
During a meeting with journalists, Chao explained that the group was formed as a result of the recent controversies surrounding UM. They include the university’s alleged attempts to hide or to downplay various scandals, ranging from sexual harassment complaints to the alleged suppression of academic freedoms, as well as UM rector Zhao Wei’s alleged disrespect of the media.
The activist said that the new group consists of UM alumni and former teachers. It has five members at present, with Chao and Kam Sut Leng as its leaders. Chao said that the group will keep in contact with UM students, and will organize meetings with the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, as well as with the UM administration.
“We know that there are other [UM] alumni associations that are more pro-UM. I think we are the first group in Macau history that was formed by alumni and other individuals that were connected with the university, and which is aimed at monitoring UM,” he said. “The current image of UM is definitely going to affect us, the alumni. Therefore, we can be considered stakeholders in this regard.”
In terms of recruiting new members, Chao said people can apply for membership or supply their personal information to the group’s Facebook page. However, he stressed that the group’s membership is exclusive to people who have been connected to the UM, including alumni, former teaching staff and parents of UM students. “At this moment, our position is that we would want more stakeholders from the outer circle of the university,” he said.
The group urged the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture to request that UM publish guidelines on the handling of sexual harassment complaints, and the organization of the equal opportunities commission, as soon as possible. The group suggested that the commission should not only seek to investigate relevant matters, but also promote equality. It also demanded that authorities publish details of the drafted amendments to the UM charter.
Furthermore, Chao claimed that some UM alumni and parents of UM students have questioned the leadership of Zhao. They suggested that the Macau government’s investment into the UM Hengqin campus may be wasted because the recent incidents involving the university may dissuade potential students from applying for admission. As a result, he said that the Secretary should evaluate whether Zhao is still suitable to be the UM rector.
Given that Zhao said on the sidelines of an event yesterday that UM will be officially establishing guidelines on sexual harassment cases and on equal opportunities close to the Chinese New Year, Chao said that the group will wait until the end of February to decide if they will launch other actions to hurry the university on these issues.
Jason Chao anticipates ‘wave of political prosecution’
Jason Chao said that the Public Prosecution Office (MP) has started summoning residents who voted in the unofficial civil referendum in August last year to give evidence. He said that this is a sign that the prosecutor is in the process of building a case. He also claimed that the “wave of political prosecution” may begin following the new Prosecutor General Ip Son Sang’s assumption of office.
“Although I am not very confident in judicial independence in Macau, our society should [still] monitor the judicial system and see how it can defend the rule of law of Macau,” he said.
As for the case in which Chao and former UM professor Bill Chou were accused of defamation, Chou said that he could not reveal any information other than that some new developments have taken place, as the case is still in the period of judicial secrecy.
Jason Chao was accused of aggravated disobedience after he and Chou were alleged to have violated the personal data protection law.
In order to vote in the referendum, residents have been asked to provide personal data, such as their Resident Identity Card (BIR) numbers and a code on the back of the card. The Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP) warned the three organizations holding the referendum that they would violate the law if they collected residents’ personal data. However, GPDP’s assistant coordinator, Yang Chongwei, failed to explain to the media, in a press conference held after the detention of Chao, how the data collection for the civil referendum had breached the law.
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