Halina Poon

Halina Poon Suk-han MH (Chinese: 潘淑嫻) is a Hong Kong educational worker, currently serving as a member of the Election Committee, which is responsible for electing the Chief Executive.

In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Poon. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Halina Poon and the Chinese-style name is Poon Suk-han.
Halina Poon

MH
潘淑嫻
Poon in 2018
NationalityHong Kong
Alma materChinese University of Hong Kong (EdD, MA)
University of Hong Kong (BA)
OccupationSchool principal

Education career

Poon is the founding principal of Christian and Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School.[1] She was promoted to the chairlady of the Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council from vice-chair in 2016, and stepped down in 2020.[2] A year later, Poon ran in the 2021 Election Committee Subsector elections as a pro-Beijing candidate from the newly formed Education Professional Alliance.[3][4] She was elected with the highest vote amongst other candidates in the Education subsector.[5]

Poon is also the member of the Council of the City University of Hong Kong.[6] She had previously served as the courtier of the University of Hong Kong until 2020, and sat in a number of commissions of the Hong Kong Government as members.[7] Poon was awarded the Medal of Honour by HKSAR Government in 2007 in recognition of her enthusiastic participation in educational and social affairs.[6]

In February 2022, it is announced that Poon will become the principal of Guangzhou Nansha Minxin School for Hong Kong Children starting from September 2022.[8] The primary-and-secondary school isfounded by Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong's former Chief Executive and vice-chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.[9]

Political stance

Poon was regarded as pro-Beijing after joining the establishment-leaning teacher's group Education Professional Alliance.[3] The Election Committee is also described as skewing the pro-Beijing camp.[10]

During her tenure as Subsidized Secondary Schools Council chair, large-scale protests erupted in the city. Poon was criticised for not signing a petition for an independent commission of inquiry.[11] She later supported an independent commission of inquiry but on the arrest of teenagers. In the speech, she called on the Hong Kong authorities to rescue the institutions and livelihood, and hoped the Chinese Government not to give up on Hong Kong. She also claimed the fear of China for suppressing freedom of speech stems from bandwagon effect.[12] She had contacted the police after "Glory to Hong Kong", the iconic song during protests, was heard from near the school she led.[13]

References
  1. "Biography | Christian and Missionary Alliance Sun Kei Secondary School". www.skss.edu.hk. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  2. "【教育專欄】只有感謝（上）". std.stheadline.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  3. "Education group vows to break opposition 'monopoly' on Election Committee subsector". South China Morning Post. 2021-08-09. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  4. "潘淑嫻校長：香港津貼中學議會前主席". 教育專業聯盟 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  5. "Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections results (Education)". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  6. "CityU Council welcomes new member". City University of Hong Kong. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  7. "Webb-site Who's Who: positions of Poon, Halina Suk Han 潘淑嫻". webb-site.com. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  8. "梁振英牽頭廣州南沙辦學 供港人子女就讀9月開學". 頭條日報 Headline Daily (in Chinese). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  9. 高諾恆 (2022-02-28). "梁振英創辦 廣州南沙港人子弟學校9月開學 採港學制教兩文三語". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  10. "Hong Kong: Pro-Beijing candidates sweep controversial LegCo election". BBC News. 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  11. 陳欣彤 (2019-08-04). "【將軍澳遊行】校長無表態撐設獨立調查委員會 中學門外現連儂牆". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  12. "潘淑嫻：大家不要對香港失望 給年輕人多點愛". 灼見名家. 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
  13. "宣基中學被指播榮光 校長呼冤枉". hk.news.yahoo.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2022-02-28.
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