Watch what you say: Hong Kong civil servants become wary of office snitches jostling to prove loyalty

The national security law and new oaths of allegiance have changed the culture in the civil service, insiders say

As complaints crop up, civil servants are taking more care with social media and sharing their views in the office

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Civil servants said they have begun to watch what they say around the office following the imposition of the national security law and new oath-taking requirements. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 1:35pm, 25 Apr 2021Updated: 11:37am, 26 Apr 2021

Alice* was working in a public-facing civilian job in one of Hong Kong’s disciplined services when she was transferred last year to the back office of another government department after her bosses received anonymous complaints about her.

The abrupt move caught her by surprise. She said she had only shared a news article about a police raid following the introduction of the national security law last June, without adding any comments of her own.

“I was told that my personal beliefs might affect my performance at work, but that’s ridiculous,” she said.

The experience left her shaken. She said she now restricted her social media accounts to a small group of close friends and did not post anything related to politics.

Insiders and unionists say the culture in the city’s 180,000-strong civil service changed radically after Beijing imposed the national security law, and its impact has been amplified by the recent requirement for all government employees to sign a declaration pledging allegiance to Hong Kong and the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.

Civil servants are now required to pledge allegiance to the city and its mini-constitution. Photo: Handout

The oath requirement is part of ongoing efforts by the authorities to ensure that only “patriots” run Hong Kong, but it has also encouraged snitching and apple-polishing at the workplace, the insiders and organisers said.

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