Chief secretary should structure her political support more carefully

The new government, led by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, has attracted some of the most vehement objections and controversies since taking office half a month ago, plunging it into a credibility crisis.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, being the second in charge under Leung, has seen her fair share of scandals. Lam openly supported Mak Chai-kwong, the former secretary for development who resigned 12 days after his appointment when he was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption for allegedly misusing government housing allowances.

Lam publicly pledged her support for Mak even after the high-profile arrest. She should have known better; in her position, she has to be extremely careful with what she says. It's inappropriate for her to comment on Mak's case.

Lam has gone out of her way, both before and after taking office, to stress that the new government would do its utmost to uphold integrity and maintain the highest standard of governance in order to restore its credibility and shape a strong new leadership. She said she would uphold Hong Kong's core values such as justice and equality and run the city according to the law.

If that's what she truly believes in, she should have respected the independence of the judiciary and avoided stepping into the sensitive territory regarding the work of the ICAC.

Before Mak's arrest, I heard from a reliable source that Lam even took up Mak's case with Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung. But, according to press reports, Lam denied it at a recent closed-door media briefing. She even accused some commentators of being biased.