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Lawmaker Dennis Kwok joined the Competition Commission in 2018. Photo: Edmond So

Decision not to reappoint opposition legislator Dennis Kwok to Hong Kong’s competition watchdog was based on merit, city leader Carrie Lam says

  • Chief executive says there is no cap or minimum on appointment tenures, citing examples of members previously not reappointed after two years
  • But Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok says the government should not ‘politicise’ appointments to public bodies

Hong Kong’s leader said her decision not to reappoint an opposition legislator to the city’s competition watchdog was based on merit, while the lawmaker in question warned against the politicisation of public bodies.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was speaking a day after her administration announced the reappointment of 11 members, and the appointment of four new members, to the 15-strong Competition Commission. Their new two-year term will start on May 1.

Reappointed member Samuel Chan Ka-yan, a barrister, will become the commission’s new chairman. He replaces Anna Wu Hung-yuk, who will leave the commission alongside Anthony William Seeto Yiu-wai, Professor Suen Wing-chuen and Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok.

The four newly appointed members include pro-establishment lawmaker Jimmy Ng Wing-ka.

Wu, Seeto, and Suen have been members of the commission for at least six years, while Kwok was appointed in 2018 – making him the only departing member to serve just one two-year term.

The decision has raised eyebrows amid an ongoing controversy over the city’s autonomy.

Beijing slams Hong Kong’s opposition lawmakers for not taking their oath seriously

Kwok was strongly criticised by Lam, the pro-establishment camp and Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, as well as the central government’s liaison office in the city, for allowing the pan-democratic camp to filibuster to prevent the election of a new chairman at the Legislative Council’s House Committee, leading to a backlog of bills since October.

Beijing even accused Kwok of violating his oath of office. Even after 16 meetings from October until last Friday, the committee, which plays a role in tabling government bills for scrutiny, had not elected a chairman.

Speaking before her weekly cabinet meeting, Lam was asked if Kwok’s imminent departure from the commission had to do with the saga at Legco.

“Our standard has always been based on merit. Some people mentioned that there was a six-year cap for an appointment, but this is for the convenience of injecting new blood. This is not a hard cap or a bottom line,” she said.

“There are examples from the past, when members – because of different reasons – were not reappointed after serving on a body for two or three years.”

Anthony William Seeto will leave the Competition Commission after serving for at least six years. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Commenting on the four outgoing members, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah had on Monday thanked them “for their tremendous contribution to the work of the commission”.

Kwok responded on Tuesday by saying the city government must not “politicise” appointments to public bodies.

“I do hope independent public bodies will not be politicised by any appointment. These bodies should be kept far away from any politics,” he said.

Kwok also said that, as any government requires public support to govern, he would leave it to people to determine if he was fit for the job.

“I will dutifully exercise my duty, including presiding over the House Committee meetings in a fair manner,” Kwok said.

He added he had not assumed he would be reappointed, as he expressed confidence in Chan and the new members.

Tightening of Hong Kong’s competition laws to cover mergers on the horizon

Since taking office in 2017, Lam has pledged to appoint members of the consultative bodies and independent public bodies in a fair and open manner. But only a handful of moderate pan-democrats have been appointed since then, including Kenneth Leung as member of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board.

The Post has contacted Chan and Wu for comment.

Chan joined the Bar in 1989, and specialised in commercial and company litigation. He was the vice-chairman of the Consumer Council. His other public duties include being a non-executive director of the Insurance Authority, deputy chairman of the Town Planning Appeal Board, and a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission’s governing board.

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