New minister Greg So says political ties won't sway him

A former top leader of Hong Kong's biggest party, Greg So Kam-leung, yesterday became the first government minister with open political affiliation after he was formally appointed as secretary for commerce and economic development.

So, who gave up his Canadian citizenship to secure a position in the political elite in 2008, remains a rank-and-file member of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, but said yesterday his affiliation would in no way affect his decisions as a minister. Senior civil servants and political analysts saw the appointment of So, who used to be a vice-chairman of the party, as a 'compromise' and not a move towards party-led government.

After heading the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau as acting secretary since March when his predecessor Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan stepped down for health reasons, So will lead the bureau until June 30 next year when the tenure of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and his cabinet ends.

Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung said: 'With only a year left for the government it is hard to find a replacement. Instead of thinking that a trend has been set for people with a political background taking up senior posts, I would say it is only a compromise.'

Since Lau quit after surgery for colon cancer, the government has approached a number of people to fill the post, including the bureau's permanent secretary, Andrew Wong Ho-yuen, and his predecessor, Yvonne Choi Ying-pik, who retired last November.

'With such a short tenure, it is unfair to ask an administrative officer to give up a permanent post or ask a retiree to return to work,' Choy said.