Tung could face grilling over the EOC
A Legco select committee is likely to want details of Michael Wong's appointment
Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa could make his first appearance before a Legco select committee to explain his appointment of Michael Wong Kin-chow as chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission last July.
Since he became chief executive, Mr Tung has never testified before a select committee. The special bodies, which are set up by the legislature, have the power to summon officials.
A meeting of Legco's home affairs panel heard yesterday that the select committee on the EOC controversy should investigate why Mr Tung appointed the retired judge to replace Anna Wu Hung-yuk.
The select committee, the panel heard, should not limit its inquiry to Mr Wong's alleged unfair termination of Patrick Yu Chung-yin's contract before he started work as the EOC's director of operations.
Legislators, who discussed the committee's terms of reference yesterday, also demanded explanations as to why Mr Tung allowed Mr Wong to keep his civil service pension while he was working as the head of the EOC.
The panel also heard the committee would look further into a meeting between Mr Wong and several people on the eve of his November 6 resignation. Officials who attended the meeting included Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping, EOC board member Raymond Wu Wai-yung, Executive Councillor Andrew Liao Cheung-sing and EOC board member Priscilla Wong Pui-sze. They, too, could be summoned.
It had been claimed that a document containing allegedly defamatory statements against Ms Wu was drafted at the meeting.
The establishment of the select committee to probe the EOC controversy, which was supported by the panel last Friday, still awaits the approval of the House Committee and the full Legislative Council. Talks on the committee's size and terms of reference will continue on January 29.
The Frontier's Emily Lau Wai-hing said she could not rule out the possibility that Mr Tung would be summoned, although it would be put to a vote.
'The issue of Mr Wong's double benefits affects the government's reputation. It is essential that we look into the circumstances of his employment,' she said.
Other panel members said the committee should cover 'broad areas' and look into 'all issues which affected the EOC's image'.
Liberal Party member Tommy Cheung Yu-yan said: 'Before this string of controversies, there had been many media reports about the EOC's operational problems which are worth investigating in the select committee.'
Legislator Lo Wing-lok said he was worried about the government's role in the EOC controversy.
'I am concerned about details of the private meetings between Mr Wong and other parties. It could be a form of government intervention into the commission's matters,' he said. 'It not only concerns the EOC's image, but the government's credibility.'
