Caspar Tsui Did The Right Thing By Resigning: CE

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, said on Monday that Caspar Tsui's resignation as the home affairs minister is a testimony to the spirit of the administration’s political accountability system.

Tsui was among a number of officials and lawmakers who had to be quarantined after going to NPC deputy Witman Hung’s birthday party at the beginning of this month, which was also attended by another guest who came down with Covid-19.

Announcing the findings of an internal disciplinary investigation, Lam said she accepted Tsui's resignation.

"Senior officials should be held responsible and accountable for their decisions. [The accountability system] is also intended to meet public expectations that senior officials should uphold high standards –  in their conduct, integrity, in their daily dealings with people," Lam said at a press conference.

"The fact that Caspar decided to resign in order to shoulder personal or political responsibility, I think this is something we should affirm, this is the right act to do."

The CE said Tsui, being one of the key members of the government's anti-epidemic team, didn't use the LeaveHomeSafe app, and is suspected to have breached mask-wearing regulations during the party.

She said Tsui's lack of awareness and sensitivity was clearly in breach of a code of conduct for political appointees, adding that he had brought himself and the SAR government into disrepute.

Lam said two other senior officials will also be given verbal warnings for their attendance at the party, which took place as Hong Kong was bracing for a new wave of Covid infections.

They are Allen Fung, the political assistant to the development secretary, and Vincent Fung, a deputy head of the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office.

Lam said Allen Fung claimed to have drank alcohol and had forgotten whether he wore a mask during his four-hour stay at the party, while Vincent Fung had put his colleagues at risk by going to work a day after being ordered by health authorities to get tested for Covid.

Meanwhile, 12 other senior officials who were also at the party will not face disciplinary action.

They include financial services minister Christopher Hui, ICAC head Simon Peh, police chief Raymond Siu, as well as immigration director Au Ka-wang, who was fined last year for breaching social distancing rules by attending a lavish, nine-person dinner at a private club.

"I've taken the view –  and I think it's a reasonable view – that there's no strong justification to impose a sanction on the director of immigration, let alone a sanction to step down," the CE said.

She added that it was "understandable and acceptable" for officials to drop by Hung’s birthday party as they all had work relations with Hong Kong's point man at the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority.

"They're also working partners. So it's understandable that they received an invitation, and out of a matter of courtesy, they attended the meeting," Lam said, noting that they had not been extremely familiar with the Omicron situation at the time.

"So, this is common sense - I'm not trying to defend them."

The chief executive added that there was also good reason for the ICAC chief to be at Hung’s birthday bash, as the anti-graft body has been cooperating with Shenzhen over corruption prevention work.