Changing values and colonial legacy issues

A humbled Donald Tsang before Legco on 5 June 2012

Late during his tenure as the top politician of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang came into heavy criticism for his apparent high life. He was criticised for cosying up to tycoons and accepting hospitality from them; he was also taken to task for his expense account when travelling abroad. The Director of Audit noted that of the 49  foreign visits over the past five years where accommodation was not paid for by host countries, 41 were in luxury suites courtesy of the Hong Kong taxpayer. The government accepted that "there is no rule in place to regulate the chief executive" on the acceptance of hospitality; the head of the civil service had to admit that Tsang was in the wrong, and Tsang was forced into a humbling public apology..

Disclosures about the cross-leasing scheme used by newly-appointed development minister, Mak Chai-kwong, to claim housing allowance some 20 years ago as a civil servant also highlight the anachronistic colonial legacy.Whilst the scheme he hatched up may not have been technically illegal, it was widely seen as inappropriate, and led to his resignation. The case was reported to the ICAC, who reportedly contemplated charging him. However, any such case should have long passed any reasonable statute of limitations.

Since the handover in 1997,  "localised" civil servants still cling to benefits previously enjoyed by expatriate British civil servants of yore. There are still allowances that top up the already generous remuneration enjoyed by those at a senior level. Donald Tsang was clearly a victim of this colonial legacy in his final days; his greatest guilt being his failure to re-evaluate and revise way his underlings spend taxpayers' money in light of the transition of status of the top job from 'Governor' to 'Chief Executive'.

Mak, when he was claiming housing allowance as a senior public servant, already earned many times the average wage of Hong Kong workers. Expat perks such accommodation, foreign [home] travel, schooling allowances, which perpetuate the "ivory tower" mentality, no longer have a place in today's more frugal and highly politicised environment. They are certainly no longer compatible with citizens' greater demands for transparency and accountability.