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Ambrose Leung

Public servants say Joseph Wong no longer represents them, while officials  argue accountability system is affected

A group of senior government officials has demanded the secretary for the civil service explain why he opted to retire from the service in July while remaining as the minister who heads Hong Kong's 170,000 bureaucrats.

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, one official also said Joseph Wong Wing-ping's departure from the civil service had undermined Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's so-called accountability system.

'The accountability system was designed as such that the civil service minister, who came from and could return to the civil service, could best protect civil servants' interests.

'There is no reason for him to opt out and undermine the system,' the official said, adding that Mr Wong's deputies could take up the post as head of the civil service.

The official also questioned whether Mr Wong should still be the head of the promotions board that approves civil servants for promotion.

In a letter to Mr Wong, the Administrative Service Association, which represents Hong Kong's 500-plus administrative officers, demanded Mr Wong explain why he decided to retire from the service and collect his pension, which was believed to be worth up to $8 million.

Under Mr Tung's accountability system launched in July last year, the head of the civil service - who would be a political appointee in the chief executive's cabinet - must be drawn from the civil service.

The minister would keep the option of returning to the service after his term as a way of maintaining a communication channel between staff and the administration. Mr Wong  retired after reaching the retirement age of 55 in July, even though  civil servants can opt to stay in office until they are 60.

Despite concern from staff unions, Mr Wong maintained, in a statement last  month, that he would continue to look after the benefits of his former colleagues.

'When I reached the retirement age in July this year, I exercised my rights to pension benefits in accordance with the law. My work will not be affected because I am a retired civil servant,' he said in the statement.

A spokeswoman for the Civil Service Bureau refused to comment on the letter from the union, saying: 'Staff associations have always had discussions with Mr Wong on various issues, and communications could be affected if the details of discussions are publicised.'

Permanent Secretary for Education and Manpower Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun, who is chairwoman of the Administrative Service Association, said through a spokeswoman that dialogue had always been maintained between administrative officers and Mr Wong, but would not elaborate on details.

Other civil service unions have also voiced concern over Mr Wong's move, saying that although he did not breach any rules, mutual trust between him and his former colleagues had been undermined.

Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, said staff were concerned that nobody could be relied upon to protect their welfare, especially during the coming pay level review.

'We are relying on ourselves from now on as Wong is no longer a civil servant. In the past, we still had some protection as he was one of us, but we have nothing to expect from him now,'  Mr Leung said.

'All of us are very unhappy, but no one would dare to say so publicly. It is good that our colleagues among the senior ranks are now speaking out.'

Peter Chan Pak-fong, chairman of the Senior Non-Expatriate Officers' Association, said he was also concerned about Mr Wong's retirement.



Civil service chief asked to explain retirement