Lectures on ethics attacked

The Government has been warned against meddling in people's daily lives.

Political affairs observer Tim Hamlett was referring to Anson Chan Fang On-sang's recent criticism of builders' and lawyers' standards, which she said should not be lowered in tough economic times.

Mr Hamlett, of the Department of Journalism at Baptist University, said ethics were none of the Government's business.

Speaking on RTHK's Viewpoint yesterday, Mr Hamlett said: 'What on earth is the Chief Secretary for Administration doing lecturing citizens about their ethics. The Chief Secretary may, we hope, be an authority on administration.

'But it is a long way from being an authority on ethics, a matter to which politicians are notoriously blind.

'In the People's Republic, on the other hand, politics [used to] encompass everything.

'This important difference seems to be diminishing. While the Government in Beijing now seems to take a more realistic view of its limitations, ours is venturing into areas where it has no business.' A spokesman for the Chief Secretary for Administration could not be reached for comment last night.