One of the main accusations the pan-democrats have levelled at Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is what they call his 'friends or foes' politics: forging an intimate relationship with 'friends' and keeping 'foes' at a distance. But, in the controversy surrounding retired official Leung Chin-man's post-service employment by a property developer, the pan-democrats showed they, too, are rather good at protecting their friends, at the expense of fairness.
They have not taken to task the key official in charge - Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue Chung-yee - or pressed for her resignation. Rather, she has been let off the hook, which is unusual. One would have imagined that, when they smelled blood, the pan-democrats would have gone in for the kill. Instead, they tried to hold Mr Tsang accountable, which is most unfair.
One could not possibly accuse Mr Tsang of responding slowly to the controversy, which first surfaced on August 1, when the New World group announced in a press release that it had hired Mr Leung, a former housing chief, to look after the group's property business on the mainland. On that day, Mr Tsang was visiting the mainland, but he swiftly responded the following Monday by announcing that he had requested a report on the matter. Within two weeks, he had received and reviewed the report and, in an unprecedented move, asked officials to reconsider the matter.
Mr Tsang's move to ask for a fresh look at Mr Leung's application was sensible, and in tune with public sentiment. But the media and some legislators did not respond positively; instead, they wasted their time speculating about whether Mr Tsang had been admonished by central government leaders, and was acting after pressure from Beijing. This is preposterous.
The Civic Party is among those critics who have been acting unfairly, although upholding fairness is the theme of their current Legislative Council election campaign. The party, true to their purist trait, should have demanded Miss Yue's resignation. But it did not. One could not help speculating that the Civic Party is trying to protect Miss Yue because she is Anson Chan Fang On-sang's protege. Mrs Chan, the former number two in the government, is a close ally and strong supporter of the Civic Party. I would dare to suggest that, had it been another official in the hot seat, there would have been a stampede to oust him or her. Both the Civic Party and Mrs Chan have said it would be unfair to pin down a single civil servant for the mistake. Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said the real problem lay with the approval process and Mr Leung, the applicant. These were not fair or accurate comments. Miss Yue is not a civil servant but a political appointee, a minister.
Ms Eu showed her double standards when Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing Thomas Chan Chun-yuen was revealed to have played a role in giving the green light to Mr Leung to join New World. Mr Chan is a civil servant. But Ms Eu's view was that he should share the blame. So where are her principles? Should a civil servant be blamed or not?