Legco Secretary's Reply Disappointing: Jeremy Tam

Civic Party lawmaker Jeremy Tam on Friday said he is disappointed with the Legco secretary general's response to claims that council security guards have been asked to declare their political stance, saying he should have asked the staff members before coming out to answer the charges.

"There was a few hours after my press conference before Kenneth Chen came out to make a response. He had sufficient time to ask a single question to that particular person whether or not there was a form for the security staff to indicate their political views," Tam said.

The lawmaker is assisting a Legco security guard who on Thursday said she was pressed by her bosses to indicate her political allegiance. A few hours later, Chen met the media and said he had never asked any colleagues about their political stance.

Legco President Andrew Leung, who met the media along with Chen, said the Legislative Council Commission will meet on May 20 to discuss the "very serious" allegation.

Tam said he hopes the commission officials will have done enough work by then to say what they have found after initial investigations.

Tam told RTHK's Janice Wong that this is a very serious issue as it affects the neutrality of Legco employees.