Lawmakers have roundly criticised a proposal to test applicants for civil service posts about their knowledge of the Basic Law.
Pan-democrats called it a meaningless exercise aimed at pleasing Beijing. Unionists from the Beijing-loyalist camp feared the tests would introduce new hurdles for low-skilled job seekers. Applicants for middle-ranking and senior posts would be required to sit a multiple-choice examination on the Basic Law. Junior ranks would face simple oral questions.
At a meeting yesterday of the Legislative Council's panel on public services, Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue Chung-yee said the Basic Law test would promote community awareness of the mini-constitution. She said test results would be taken into account only when two applicants were equal in all other aspects.
'Suppose we are recruiting a lifeguard. We won't recruit just because an applicant showed better understanding of the Basic Law,' she said.
But Democratic Party legislator Cheung Man-kwong said the government was testing for the sake of testing. 'You just pulled something to accomplish the political task that you have been assigned. You know you can't avoid doing it. But you know the tests cannot be too difficult. The whole thing is just meaningless.'
Miss Yue said the arrangement would be reviewed after a year.