Exclusive | Hong Kong’s John Lee to tackle civil servant accountability in policy address

Hong Kong’s leader will introduce a mechanism to hold senior civil servants accountable for their misconduct in his policy blueprint, targeting incidents such as a recent bottled water supply scandal, the Post has learned.

But political observers have warned of a possible pushback from civil servants concerned about job security, while recommending the government implement gradual changes with robust investigative procedures.

According to a government source, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is expected to announce an accountability mechanism that will penalise underperforming employees to prevent controversies, such as the water procurement saga, from repeating.

“Authorities will roll out a mechanism to handle incidents [like the bottled water scandal], although the chief executive will not comment on that particular episode in his policy address,” the source said.

The city’s leader first floated the idea in mid-June, saying authorities were exploring a new accountability system involving annual appraisals for senior civil servants, with underperformers facing consequences such as pay freezes.

Hong Kong currently runs only one accountability system for political appointees covering the three principal secretaries and their deputies, bureau ministers and their deputies, their political assistants and the director of the Chief Executive’s Office.