Lawmakers could invoke special powers to ensure top government officials address allegations that a former senior civil servant faced political pressure from the highest levels of government to award a HK$220 million contract to a specific professional organisation. Civic Party legislator Audrey Eu Yuet-mee (pictured) says the Legislative Council should set up a select committee to investigate claims by the government's ex-information technology chief, Jeremy Godfrey. Godfrey claims Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah and Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Elizabeth Tse Man-yee put pressure on him to award the contract to iProA. Dr Elizabeth Quat, who later joined the government-friendly Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and became a district councillor, was a founder of iProA, also known as the Internet Professional Association, a non-profit-making organisation. She stood down as president before the contract was awarded. Eu said the claims justified the establishment of a committee similar to that which investigated ex-housing chief Leung Chin-man's job with a subsidiary of developer New World. 'The accusations are serious, and those involved in the case are from high ranks,' she said. In a 13-page document sent to lawmakers on Friday, the former IT chief accused Tsang of exerting pressure on him. Godfrey said Tse suggested it was a 'political assignment' to let iProA implement a programme offering internet learning for the poor, and that pressure came from 'beyond the financial secretary'. Eu said the Legco panel on information technology may have to invoke powers and privileges provisions to ensure top officials appear. Tsang described Godfrey's accusations as 'ridiculous' and 'absurd'. Tse said they were 'misleading'. Fellow Civic Party member Alan Leong Kah-kit said making use of special powers to ensure questions were answered and evidence was made available, was unavoidable. The chance of the government releasing any of the documents voluntarily was low, he said. Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Wing-tat said Godfrey should elaborate on details of his meetings with the financial secretary. DAB chairman Tam Yiu-chung said it was too early to consider setting up a select committee before the IT panel meeting took place. The contract was awarded to the eInclusion foundation, which included iProA, and the Council of Social Service.
