The funding request for five new posts in the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been withdrawn amid criticism of over-specialisation.
The Government backed down after Cheung Man-kwong of the Democratic Party indicated that his party would vote against the application for funds.
Mr Cheung accused the department of 'ceaselessly enlarging its structure by creating new units'.
He said: 'If we look at the amount of resources injected into the department over the past few years, we would notice that the EPD is already very large.
'Is it reasonable and healthy to enlarge the department through constant splitting of specialised units?' he asked.
'This state of affairs is very problematic.' The administration maintained that the creation of posts for five principal environmental protection officers, each with a salary of between $86,650 and $91,950 a month, would strengthen directorate support.
