CS Critical Of Dozy Minister, Distracted Lawmakers

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung says it's "not satisfactory" that a ministerial colleague and some pro-establishment lawmakers were seen dozing off or paying less than full attention during Wednesday's Policy Address.

Among the government ministers struggling to keep their eyes open during the Chief Executive's more than two-hour-long speech was Erick Tsang, who was attending the Policy Address for the first time as the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs.

Lawmakers also struggled to give the 167-paragraph policy blueprint their full attention.

Christopher Cheung from the Business and Professionals Alliance, for example, was shown ordering hairy crabs on his phone.

Asked about this on an RTHK phone-in programme on Friday, the chief secretary chuckled and described them as "individual cases", and tried to shift the conversation towards what he described as the highlights of the Policy Address.

But the first caller to the phone-in programme, continued to press Matthew Cheung on the issue:

"I agree entirely that the situation is not satisfactory," he said. "But the highlight is the Policy Address itself – not this individual, little, so-called side... "

"Not for them it wasn't!" interjected the caller, named Matthew. "Hairy crabs were the highlight, for them."

"I mean... it's funny but it's not funny, do you know what I mean?"

Pressed on whether the minister's conduct was "satisfactory", Matthew Cheung said he didn't think Tsang "meant it", saying he was probably too tired, having travelled a lot and had a lot on his plate.

The chief secretary also attempted to assure the caller that it wouldn't happen again.

"Matthew, I'm sure these incidents won't repeat again, OK? I can assure you," he said, before asking the caller whether he had any constructive views about the Policy Address.

"Well, I think this speaks to the system, right? Where you have legislators remaining in the Legco, supposedly because they're going to support and represent the people," the caller said. "Maybe you ask them questions about what the Policy Address said; they probably won't know..."

The chief secretary repeated these were individual cases, saying it was just "one or two out of 40 or 50 people there".

"It's not one or two. Read the newspaper chief secretary, it's a lot more than that – it's the only thing people are talking about," said the caller.