Appointees' jobs stepping stones, says chief's departing assistant

All political appointments are transitional, and the final road to politics is through the ballot box, says a departing aide to the chief executive now eyeing electoral politics.

Gary Chan Hak-kan, 32, was speaking as he packed up after 21/2 years as a special assistant to Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.

The first person to carry the banner of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) into government, Mr Chan said his position had been to act as a guinea pig for the appointment of undersecretaries and political assistants, as the ultimate goal was training political talent.

'Each of these appointees should have the thought that political appointments are not permanent jobs. They are stepping stones. The next step is to go for election,' said Mr Chan, who is 'actively considering' running in September's Legislative Council election.

The young politician, who has terminated his appointment contract with the government, due to expire in June 2012, said there had been a mutual understanding between himself and Mr Tsang from the beginning that he would leave prematurely.

Mr Chan, who declined to comment on the row over salaries and citizenship of the new political appointees, considers his days working beside the chief executive to be an advantage for his candidacy.

'I played the game and I know where the cutting edge is,' he said.