One of the hosts of RTHK's most popular entertainment programme - whose title is loosely translated as Mad Show and Happy - was suddenly dismissed last week without any warning or immediate explanation. The head of Radio 2 said this week that Spencer Leung Sze-ho was not dismissed because of problems over his contract, as had earlier been claimed, but said both parties had agreed not to disclose the reasons for their parting.
If an employer wants to fire someone, it will always find a reason. This abrupt dismissal is more than just a storm in a teacup.
As a media organisation and public broadcaster, RTHK has handled the case badly. It has treated Leung roughly, trampled on his rights and violated the spirit of equality and fairness. Management has seemingly abused the trust and power that the public has endowed upon it.
There have been reports speculating that Leung - who worked for RTHK for 17 years and had an unblemished record - was about to be poached by another broadcaster. Leung allegedly refused to sign an undertaking with RTHK promising not to join any rival station within one year.
The point is that, even though Leung might have had the intention to leave RTHK, as long as he had not come to any contractual agreement in breach of his existing arrangement with the station, there was no reason to fire him.
Surely commercial entities, which often thrive on the negative effects of competition, wouldn't have treated an employee in this way. If it was true the station took offence that Leung was considering a job offer elsewhere, does RTHK think it owns the freedom of everybody who works there?
The crux of the problem is the management of RTHK, especially the top echelon. They are mostly senior civil servants who have no clue how to run a genuine public station and have no respect for the spirit of the public broadcasting service. They have been running RTHK like a private enterprise, treating staff as merely service-providing tools.