Hong Kong Public Servants have been told what they can and cannot say after taking a controversial pledge of allegiance to the city.
Head of the Public Service, Patrick Nip Tak-kuen (pictured) said officers could continue to raise concerns about pay and working conditions, but could not publicly criticise the Government or its policies.
Speaking at a Legislative Council meeting, Mr Nip said it was clear the guidelines also meant not granting interviews to media outlets regarded as “anti-China”, he did not elaborate on which outlets might meet that designation.
He also said the Civil Service Bureau would be investigating the cases of city employees who broke the Civil Service Code before the oath of allegiance was introduced.
“If someone has retired or left the Government, but there are [unlawful] remarks or actions that took place when they were still Civil Servants, we will still need to follow up,” Mr Nip said.
The Bureau has called on all employees hired before 1 July last year to take the pledge by mid-February, those hired after that date have taken the pledge as a condition of employment.
Public service employees who refuse could be sacked.
In new guidelines, the Government underscored that anyone aiming to destabilise the administration or stir up anti-Government sentiment that might trigger social unrest would be in violation of their oaths.
Chief Executive of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, Leung Chau-ting said he knew a minority of Public Servants would not sign the declaration, and would rather leave the Government.
Mr Leung said he was also worried unions could still be penalised for organising rallies to fight for their rights, or for giving interviews to media outlets that were only later deemed anti-China.
Hong Kong, 20 January 2021
