The controversy might have died down, but a question mark continues to hang over how Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah awarded a HK$220 million cyber-learning contract to an affiliate of the Internet Professional Association (iProA).
Lawmakers may have failed in their calls for an investigation into political inference in the awarding of the contract but there can be no doubt about the close ties between iProA and the government.
The intertwining connections came to light after whistle-blower Jeremy Godfrey, the government's former information technology chief, said he had been pressured by Tsang and former commerce chief Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan to appoint iProA to run the scheme, which involves a subsidised internet-learning plan that includes sending volunteers to help poor children in their homes.
The furore has confused iProA founding president Ringo Lam Wing-kwan, who said iProA was not the only group trying to establish good relations with the government and mainland officials.
After the handover in 1997, Lam said, IT groups started to lean towards the central government for business.
'It may not be fair to highlight the pro-Beijing colour of only iProA,' said Lam, who also founded the popular Chinese-language information archive Wisers. 'After all, it is hard to avoid politics after 1997; professional unions need to find a way out.'
