Political Appointments System

In Hong Kong, the Political Appointments System is a scheme introduced by then Chief Executive Donald Tsang in 2008 to reinforce the government's ministerial team by superseding the Principal Officials Accountability System and inserting two layers of politically appointed officials below the secretaries, who are political appointees. These appointees report only to the secretaries, but not the permanent secretaries, the highest-ranking civil servants. The appointment of undersecretaries and political assistants is an extension of the previous RPAS that was initially confined to principal officials. Prior to the introduction, there were 14 political appointees—3 Secretaries of Departments and 11 Directors of Bureaux.
The 24 newly created non-civil-service positions under this system comprise 11 undersecretaries and 13 political assistants. All the posts were created, ostensibly to work closely with bureau secretaries and top civil servants to implement the Chief Executive's policy blueprint and agenda in an executive-led government. Eight new undersecretaries were named on 20 May, and nine political assistant appointments were announced on 22 May 2008.
There was widespread criticism of four aspects of the appointments: the nationality, salary, experience of appointees, and the transparency of the recruitment process. The government admitted that "the announcements were poorly handled". Donald Tsang was forced to make a grudging apology. The public furore led Hong Kong affairs in-charge Xi Jinping to refer to "the recent difficulties", and to urge Tsang to "govern sensibly and reasonably."

Background

In mid-2005, Chief Executive Donald Tsang mooted a system for developing political career path for aspiring politicians by creating middle-ranking posts. Constitutional Affairs minister Stephen Lam said he hoped arrangements would help extend opportunities for political participation and widen the pool of talent whilst preserving a permanent, professional and politically neutral civil service. He promised more ideas would be announced in the Chief Executive's Policy Address in October, saying proposals would be open for consultation by the civil service, political groups and the community.
On 26 July 2006, the government issued its proposal for political appointees, under which two new posts, deputy directors of bureaux and assistants to directors would be added to the political appointment layer for each of Hong Kong's 11 policy bureaux. Thus, each director will be assisted by the two new appointees constituting the political team; civil servants would carry out the administrative and executive tasks of the Government.
There was some confusion on the launch of the consultation paper: Donald Tsang had informed the press corps on 17 July, during his Singapore trip, that the proposal would be launched at the end of the summer vacation. However, its passage through the Executive Council was reportedly hastened as a result of the heightened debate on universal suffrage driven by Regina Ip and Anson Chan, undeclared candidates in the 2007 Hong Kong Island by-election.

Premise of the system

Launching a four-month public consultation, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Stephen Lam, said all current permanent and deputy secretaries would continue with their duties such as studying, justifying and designing government policies, while the newly appointed deputy directors would assist bureau chiefs in liaising with legislators and provide political input in policy formulation and implementation; the assistants to bureau directors would line up suitable appointments to help bureau chiefs reach out to the community. Lam further argued that Hong Kong's political team of 14 Policy Secretaries was too thin compared with Canada and the United Kingdom, for example, where two or three layers of ministers speak on behalf of the government. The changes would strengthen governance and preserve the civil-service system. The proposal appeared to coincide with the ideas contained in a study by the Bauhinia Foundation to increase civic engagement launched in early July 2007.
Lam said that the appointments would not be limited to members of pro-government political parties. He said, however, that candidates for the new posts must support the manifesto and ruling philosophy of the chief executive. The government declared a broader objective of widening and grooming the pool of political talent, in preparation for universal suffrage. These new posts would be open to candidates from within or outside the civil service, and with or without political background. Offered as a further safeguard to neutrality of the civil service, Lam further detailed that there would be no "revolving door" – civil servants taking up these political posts would leave the civil service and be barred from returning.
It was proposed that a deputy director be paid 65–75% of the salary received by a bureau chief, or between HK$193,774 and $223,586 a month; an assistant would receive 35–50% of the bureau chief's salary, or between HK$104,340 and $149,057 a month. Their contracts would expire no later than 30 June 2012. In addition to HK$11.9 million for personal secretaries and drivers, the total annual cost would be about HK$60 million.

Initial reaction to the proposals

, vice chairman of the government-friendly Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong remarked that two more directorate-level layers may make it less easy to implement government policies. He was also concerned that the extra spending be value for money.
Frontier convenor Emily Lau said the requirement for new appointees to agree with the chief executive's philosophy suggested the government was merely looking for a way to offer well-paid jobs to its supporters. Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing Tat said the proposal was tailor-made for the DAB.
Margaret Ng of the Civic Party expressed concern that the political appointments would only further delay the move towards universal suffrage, as it would encourage people to align themselves to a pro-government party. She doubted that it would nurture independent and civic-spirited individuals, as it "excludes those who do not blindly support the chief executive."

Finalised proposals

The government released a report on the subject, ostensibly after taking into account the views received during the public consultation. On 14 December 2007, the Legislative Council Finance Committee approved the government expenditure for the appointments.

Announcement of appointments

The government named eight newly appointed undersecretaries on 20 May, and nine Political assistants on 22 May 2008 as part of the Chief Executive's policy blueprint and agenda in an executive-led government. Tsang described the appointments as a millstone in the development of Hong Kong's political appointment system.
Three appointees were members of the Beijing-friendly DAB, one from the Liberal Party, two were associated with the Bauhinia Foundation. According to corporate governance activist David Webb, no fewer than 7 of the appointees had been identified by the press as being close to the foundation, which lobbies for a range of big business and Beijing central government friendly proposals.

Undersecretaries

The undersecretaries are appointed under the political appointment system on non-civil service terms for the period ending 30 June 2012.

Romanised name	Chinese name	age at appointment	Foreign nationality	Portfolio attachment	Prior occupation	Govt salary
Chen Wei-on, Kenneth	陳維安	43	N/A	Education	Director of Racecourse Business, HKJC	HK$223,585
Hui Hiu-fai, Florence	許曉暉	34	N/A	Home Affairs	Head of Bus. Planning and Devt., Standard Chartered Bank	HK$223,585
Leung Fung-yee, Julia	梁鳳儀	48	British	Financial Services and the Treasury	Executive Director, HKMA	HK$223,585
Leung, Gabriel Matthew	梁卓偉	35	Canadian	Food and Health	Professor, HKU	HK$208,680
Poon Kit, Kitty	潘潔	45	US	Environment	Asst Professor, PolyU	HK$208,680
Tam Chi-yuen, Raymond	譚志源	44	British	Constitutional and Mainland Affairs	Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs	HK$208,680
So Kam-leung, Gregory	蘇錦樑	49	Canadian	Commerce and Economic Development	Solicitor	HK$223,585
Yau Shing-mu	邱誠武	48	N/A	Transport and Housing	Executive Editor, Hong Kong Economic Times	HK$208,680

Political assistants

The political assistants are appointed under the expanded political appointment system on non-civil service terms for the term ending 30 June 2012.

Romanised name	Chinese name	age at appointment	Foreign nationality	Portfolio attachment	Prior occupation	Govt salary
Chan Chi-yuen, Paul	陳智遠	28	N/A	Food and Health	Research assistant, City University	HK$134,150
Cheung, Raymond Man-to	張文韜	46	N/A	Education	Barrister	HK$134,150
Choy Siu-min, Linda	蔡少綿	37	N/A	Environment	Director of Government Relations, Hong Kong Disneyland	HK$149,055
Lo Yik-kee, Victor	盧奕基	55	British	Security	Assistant Police Commissioner	HK$134,150
Mok Yee-tuen, Zandra	莫宜端	35	N/A	Labour and Welfare	Journalist;Senior Manager, Bauhinia Foundation	HK$134,150
Ng Kit-shuen, Katherine	伍潔鏇	34	Singaporean	Financial Services and the Treasury	legal director, Merrill Lynch HK	HK$163,960
Tsui Ying-wai, Caspar	徐英偉	31	Canadian	Home Affairs	Investment Services Manager, Hang Seng Bank	HK$134,150
Yip Kan-chuen, Frankie	葉根銓	38	N/A	Financial Secretary	Public Affairs Manager, HK Jockey Club	HK$134,150
Young Chit-on, Jeremy	楊哲安	32	British	Food & Health	Logistician	HK$134,150