Hong Kong government mulls Basic Law oath for civil servants amid protest-related complaints – but critics say move will backfire if implemented
- Revelation by secretary for civil service comes after complaints were filed against 43 employees for involvement in protests
- Proposal was earlier floated by pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip
The Hong Kong government will study whether all civil servants should swear to uphold the city’s mini-constitution after it was revealed that complaints were filed against 43 employees for joining illegal rallies or discrediting the city’s ruling principles.
At a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for the Civil Service Joshua Law Chi-kong said the government was considering a suggestion by pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee to require that Hong Kong’s 180,000-strong government workforce take an oath to observe the Basic Law and “swear allegiance to the Special Administrative Region”.
“We have started to look into the issue and will report the progress to the panel in due course as required,” he said, adding the government would aim to complete the study before the Legislative Council elections next year in September.
The remarks came after the Civil Service Bureau received complaints against 43 civil servants amid the social unrest roiling the city. Sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill in June, the protests have since morphed into a wider anti-government movement.
The civil servants implicated in complaints were alleged to have joined unlawful assemblies or violent activities in demonstrations, or openly made statements against “one country, two systems”, Beijing’s governing principle over Hong Kong.