Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's decision to retain his chauffeur and private secretary from Orient Overseas (International) Limited (OOIL) has prompted prominent coverage in the Chinese media.
The main criticism is that his direct recruitment of the pair not only bypasses normal civil service procedures but reflects the chief's distrust of incumbent Government staff.
Under the new arrangement, the former governor's chauffeur has been reassigned as the driver for Mr Tung's private secretary. The Government's chauffeurs are obviously not happy about the change.
In private, some civil servants have started to wonder whether it is the Chief Executive's style to practise cronyism. People can understand why he needs to take one or two special advisers, but what special skills do a chauffeur and a secretary have that make them indispensable? The Secretary for Civil Service, Lam Woon-kwong, leapt to Mr Tung's defence in suggesting that the private chauffeur was offering a personal service so more flexibility should be allowed in the staffing arrangement.
Mr Tung offered a different justification, saying that, as his OOIL staff knew his personality and style better, keeping them would help him work with a high standard of efficiency.
The reasons Mr Lam and Mr Tung offer might sound credible if applied to a private company. But in the public sector there are well-established rules and procedures that cannot be bent arbitrarily.
Yes, the post of Chief Executive is the most senior position in the SAR Government. But that does not make it any more special than any other Government job.