No 'get out of jail free' card for public officers expressing views in their personal capacity

The updated code of conduct for civil servants does not grant public officers immunity to say whatever they want in their personal capacity, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Thursday.

Her comments came one day after a planned update to the code said public officers must not openly criticize government policies in their capacity as civil servants, and that they should make sure their views are not mistaken as the government's official position.

Speaking to a radio program this morning, the civil service chief said civil servants should not make comments that run contrary to the core values they are required to uphold as stipulated in a planned update to the code.

She noted that private companies would not allow their employees to badmouth their business and the same works for civil servants working in the government.

Meanwhile, Yeung said civil servants should not misinterpret that they have the absolute license to say anything they want when making comments in a personal capacity.

"We require civil servants to uphold the rule of law and the constitutional order. If what they say impacts these things, even if it's in a personal capacity, I strongly advise my colleagues to not say it, because the consequences will be serious,” she said.

Yeung also reiterated that officials will not conduct online checks, but reminded civil servants that “many others are watching” what they say or do both in real life and online.

"If a colleague says something publicly, in this day and age, we all know it's not difficult to relay it to different places, and it's not difficult to relay it to the government. If there are inappropriate comments or behavior, we will take action," she added.