The organizers of the May 15 protest against the Macau Foundation’s donation to Guangdong’s Jinan University have been asked to cooperate with a police investigation.
“Just recently they invited us to talk. […] They’re trying to make a case against us and it is disheartening to see that the administrations did not respond to our demand to reform,” said Scott Chiang, president of the New Macau Association (ANM).
Jason Chao, vice president of ANM, emphasized that the police interviews are an indication that they are trying to build a case against the organizers and the protesters.
“We speculate that from the point of arrival to the police station, Scott Chiang will be declared a suspect,” said Chao.
He argued that such actions show signs of “political persecution,” due to the government’s refusal to respond to residents’ demands and the victimization of individuals who raised the issues.
ANM expressed their disappointment yesterday at the press conference, arguing that the city “badly needs reform” in the use of public funds.
Chiang also revealed that a certain number of organizations close to the government have access to lucrative sums of money and are forming their own “economy circle” with private companies.
Following the May 15 protest, Chiang told the Times that he expected the government to file a case against them, as ANM was one of the principal organizers of the demonstration. “The police are trying to scare us by saying that it was an illegal assembly,” he said then.
The RMB100 million donations to Jinan University led to hundreds of protesters chanting, “Chui Sai On, resign!” during the May 15 protest. Chui Sai On is deputy chairman of the Jinan University board of directors and the chairman of the Macau Foundation Council of Trustees.
Besides the association, other public figures including lawmaker Pereira Coutinho argued that the donations should be withdrawn, but said that Chui Sai On would be unlikely to resign from his post despite protesters’ demands.
Although the police only estimated some 1,100 protesters, organizers say that as many as 3,300 took part in the demonstration. Authorities stopped the crowd from approaching the CE official residence at Santa Sancha Palace, claiming that the march was an illegal demonstration.
“They are trying to fabricate a case against those who actually go on the street and those who are against the funding,” reacted Jason Chao. Staff reporter
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