'Ignorant Civil Servants Need Basic Law Training'

Pro-establishment lawmakers made fresh calls on Monday for better Basic Law training for civil servants, along with mandatory oaths of allegiance for all public workers, in response to a contradictory series of government statements on Article 22 over the weekend which they say exposed the officials' ignorance about the mini-constitution.

Lawmakers from both sides of the political divide have panned the government’s flip-flop on its position over whether constitutional restrictions against mainland bodies interfering in local affairs, applies to Beijing’s liaison office here.

The first statement repeated the government’s long-held position that the office was established here in accordance with Article 22.

All mention of Article 22 was removed in a subsequent revision; and the final statement aligned the SAR government with the office’s own view – that the restrictions against interference don’t apply.

During a meeting of Legco’s public service panel, New People’s Party chair Regina Ip said the repeatedly revised statements showed that the government itself doesn't understand the mini-constitution.

“If we have new [Civil Service] recruits who don’t understand the Basic Law or Article 22, and then if these new recruits then put up a Lennon Wall on government premises and take part in or even organise rallies or protests, then what should we do?” she asked.

Ip recalled that when she visited the United States last month, State Department officials had told her that all public servants regardless of rank need to pledge an oath of allegiance.

DAB lawmaker Steven Ho also weighed in, saying the government’s handling of the Article 22 row "left much to be desired".

He said civil servants need more training on the principle of political neutrality, and the government risks letting the Basic Law become a ‘paper tiger’ unless the issue is dealt with right away.

He said public workers should be told what to do in specific situations, laying out one example.

"If a civil servant sees a legislative councillor on the street standing next to a Hong Kong independence banner, and expressing views in support of this, what should they do after seeing this? And has that lawmaker breached Article 1 of the Basic Law?" he asked.

Secretary for the Civil Service Joshua Law said a report looking into whether civil servants should swear an oath to uphold the Basic Law should be submitted to Legco before the summer recess in July.

He added that Basic Law training is necessary not just for civil servants, but all SAR residents, saying "there should be deeper understanding and compliance with the Basic Law".

The government announced at the end of last year that they were looking into whether it would be feasible to require civil servants to swear an oath and vow to uphold the Basic Law after the panel passed a non-binding motion saying they should.