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OUTGOING Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Michael Sze Cho-cheung, said yesterday he would have no regrets if his support for political reform cost him his job after 1997.

   Speaking on the day that he stepped down from the constitutional post, a hot seat which made him a constant target for mainland criticism, Mr Sze said he had a clear conscience about everything he had done.

  He played down the personal attack on him by top Chinese official Lu Ping.

  Mr Lu, the Director of Chinese State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, questioned Mr Sze's legitimacy to represent the people of Hong Kong at the British parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee hearing.

  Mr Lu said: ''How many people in Hong Kong regard this 'loyal' follower [of Patten] as a Hong Kong person?''   But Mr Sze said yesterday that he had never claimed to represent Hong Kong people at the meeting.

  ''But I am a Hong Kong person. I have a Hong Kong identity card and I am a permanent resident here. I have a clear conscience and it is perfectly legitimate that I say that I am a Hong Kong person,'' he said.

  Mr Sze said the criticisms levelled against him did not bother him because he believed he was only doing his duty as a civil servant.

  ''I think I have done nothing against my conscience and I will continue to try my best to fulfil my duty as a civil servant.

  ''I believe that after 1997, the central Government and the Special Administrative Region (SAR) government will also want their civil servants to have the same work attitude instead of having officers looking over their shoulders while doing their work.''   Asked how he would feel if his comments led to him being out of a job after 1997, Mr Sze said: ''I wouldn't feel it's such a pity. I will continue to try my best to fulfil my duty.

  ''From now to 1997, there are more than 1,200 days. There's a saying that a week is a long time in politics, and I think 1,200 days is a very, very long time indeed,'' said Mr Sze.

  He said the attack on former executive councillor Sir Sze-yuen Chung by patriarch Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s was much more serious than that against him.

  ''If the attack on Sir Sze-yuen was equivalent to typhoon signal No 10, mine is just about No 3. Now Sir Sze-yuen is highly regarded by both the Chinese Government and the Hong Kong administration.''   Mr Sze takes up the post as Secretary for the Civil Service on Tuesday. He will be succeeded by Nicholas Ng Wing-fui.

  Mr Sze said it was important the Government soon begin to discuss with China the arrangements for top officials to serve beyond 1997.

  Turning to the 1994-95 elections, Mr Sze said he felt frustrated that he was not able to see the partial electoral bill through the Legislative Council before stepping down as constitutional chief.

  It is expected that the remainder of the bill will be tabled to Legco on March 9 at the earliest, but Mr Sze declined to confirm that.

 Instead, he noted that the tabling of the rest of the bill would be an extremely difficult task. He also declined to be specific on which version of the electoral package would be tabled to legislators.



I have no regrets, says reform man Sze