Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said she would no longer seek to amend anti-graft laws to include the head of the SAR during her term.

Lam's comments yesterday marked a turnaround from one of her election campaign promises in 2017, when she vowed to "resolve as soon as possible constitutional and legal issues" regarding an amendment of Prevention of Bribery Ordinance in a bid to make the chief executive accountable.

The issue came to light during the trial of former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, when it was found that some offenses under the existing ordinance do not apply to the SAR's leader.

Tsang was sentenced to 20 months in jail for misconduct in public office in 2015 - a verdict that was overruled by the Court of Final Appeal last year.

But Lam, whose five-year tenure is expected to end in mid-2022, said in a television interview yesterday that she would not be pursuing the amendment in the remainder of her term.

"This is because we have learned and clarified the constitutional role and status of the chief executive under the SAR's political system," she added.

Beijing will step in if a chief executive commits bribery-related misconduct, as the SAR's leader is appointed by and responsible to the central government, Lam said.

Lam also said the government is studying plans to require more public servants to pledge allegiance to the SAR and the Basic Law by signing declarations or taking oaths, as with civil servants.

She said the definition of "public servant" is still being debated, as some argue it includes those working for public institutions like schools and NGOs, while others say it should cover only employees of organizations with government authorization.

Commenting on her policy address given last Wednesday, Lam said it "landed smoothly" despite criticism from people who "deliberately find contradictions in government policies."

Admitting that it received only a "modest response," she said no policy has become the focus of fierce attack so far.

Lam also defended the government's move to revamp the liberal studies subject, which will be renamed, adopt a pass or fail grading system, have its teaching hours halved and take students to visit the mainland.

Asked if students who had joined anti-government protests could face consequences while on the trip, Lam denied the revamp was on Beijing's orders, saying: "The trip is definitely not a tool to find pupils who oppose the government. Our goal is to protect our students."

Separately, Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung said in his blog yesterday that the government must strengthen national security education and raise law-abiding awareness among residents.

Anti-graft laws Changes nixed