Election is a chance to put record straight, say former civil servants
Apart from finding a warm and well-paid welcome in the private sector, some retired civil servants may want to continue their public service.
A former police senior inspector and a former civil service unionist are considering running in the district council elections after seeing a gap develop on the political scene.
'Not a single party or councillor is now representing the more than 150,000 civil servants,' says former senior inspector Ling Kim-kong, who is nicknamed King Kong. 'We've become the target of criticism since 1997 but there was no way we could defend ourselves. Political parties take advantage of blaming the civil servants and it is utterly unfair to our colleagues and has hurt staff morale.'
One seat on the political scene for civil servants would turn things around, says Mr Ling, who retired in 2004. He is organising activities for residents on Shun Lee Estate in Kwun Tong, where the disciplined services quarters in the district will be his source of support if he decides to run.
Mr Ling has joined the Savantas Policy Institute, the think-tank chaired by former security chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, and is determined to push for government reforms from the outside.
'As former civil servants, we come from the institution and understand how it runs. We know its limitations and sometimes you can never change it when you are inside,' he says.
Felix Cheung Kwok-biu, a former chairman of the Hong Kong Civil Servants General Union who joined the think-tank earlier this year, echoes these sentiments and speaks of his experience in fighting against civil servants' pay cuts in recent years.
'Problems from salary reductions and the like have arisen and it is a result of short-sighted policies,' the veteran unionist says. 'Someone should be working outside the institution on policy research and advising officials.'
The 54-year-old former High Court senior interpreter now greets residents daily as part of a familiarisation campaign in Beacon Hill and Broadcast Drive in Kowloon Tong, where many civil servants live.
Despite being core members of the Savantas institute, both men say they will not be endorsed by the group if they run in the elections, as it is not a political party.
But both men are turning to the popularity of Mrs Ip, using her image on photographs, banners and on their name cards.
Mrs Ip's image - which took a battering during her promotion of national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law in 2003 - is of little concern to the former civil servants.
Mr Cheung says: 'As an official in the accountability system, she was accomplishing the task alone. It is a performance of responsibility which is highly appreciated.'
However, other civil service unions are not enthusiastic about the district council elections, saying they are mainly a platform for local issues.
Chinese University political analyst Ma Ngok says the elections are geographical-based and demands from the districts always overwhelm policy-level issues.
'I am sceptical of the suggestion that former civil servants can gather support simply by their background. It is more likely to be a test of Regina Ip's popularity.'
