The chief executive of a government-funded institute quit yesterday after accusations he mismanaged and wasted public money.
The resignation of Robert Yang Jih-chang from the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) was announced after the board decided in principle to ask him to stay. The board also unveiled a five-point action plan in response to last week's criticism by the Audit Commission.
'As the CEO of the organisation, I consider it my duty to resign and take all the blame,' Dr Yang said.
The commission criticised the institute for spending HK$181,000 on fung shui consultation services between 2002 and 2006, hiring staff without going through formal recruitment procedures and paying staff more than maximum salaries.
It noted that of HK$13 million the institute received after selling hi-tech packaging projects in 2004, HK$10 million was allocated to incentive payments for 23 staff.
ASTRI chairman Allan Wong Chi- yun said the board accepted Dr Yang's resignation despite having decided to renew his contract.
