'No Immediate Firing Of Govt Servants Over New Oath'

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip said civil servants found to have violated a proposed new oath to swear allegiance to Hong Kong SAR and Basic Law won't be sacked immediately, but will be dealt with by existing law and discipline mechanisms.

Nip made the comments during a panel meeting on public services at Legco on Friday, where he was explaining to lawmakers the plan to require new servants and certain existing staff to take an oath to uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the SAR.

During the meeting, Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting asked what would be the consequences for current or newly-recruited civil servants if they refuse to take the oath, or sign a statement in support of the Basic Law and the declare loyalty to the SAR.

He said he was concerned the government was making use of every opportunity to suppress civil servants who are seen as outspoken, such that "only yes men remain" in the service.

Nip said that taking an oath or signing a declaration will be one of the entry requirements for new civil servants, and for current civil servants who are promoted or transferred.

He said that if a current civil servant refuses to take the oath, they will look into their reasons for not doing so first.

The minister added that the refusal would be taken in consideration for whether or not that person is promoted or not, and depending on the circumstances, follow-up action may be taken.

Nip said officials will study if the mechanism needs to be strengthened, such that follow up actions will be taken quicker.

Pro-Beijing lawmakers generally agreed with the new requirement. New People's Party chair Regina Ip and DAB lawmaker Elizabeth Quat said not only should civil servants be required to take the oath, they think workers paid by public coffers should also be bound by it.

This should cover workers at schools, the Hospital Authority and other statutory bodies who are all sponsored by the government, they said.

Nip said in response he agrees all these workers have a responsibility to support the government and not oppose it publicly, given that "the administration" pays their salaries.

But as far as the oath is concerned, he said, the government is now dealing with civil servants, and the legal definition of public officers will also have to be clarified.

However, Lam Cheuk-ting said there's no such thing as government money, only public money, and all public servants are working to protect the public interest, and that of the Chief Executive's.

The democrat said if the public is harmed by government policies, public officers have the obligation to speak up against the government and say no.