Civil servant to lead RTHK, in wake of Leung Ka-wing's early departure

A senior civil servant is taking over the government broadcaster, RTHK.

Patrick Li Pak-chuen, the deputy secretary for Home Affairs, has been named director of broadcasting from March 1, and will succeed Leung Ka-wing, who is leaving, the government announced.

Leung was to have completed his contract in August.

“The agreement between the government and Mr Leung, which originally [was to] expire in August this year, will be resolved early by mutual consent,” a statement said. 

RTHK has come in for criticism from the Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who had told Legco that matters need to straightened out.

Li joined the administrative service in August 1990 and became an administrative officer staff grade B1 in April 2019.

He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Civil Service Branch, the Department of Health, the Security Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the former Education Department, the Home Affairs Department, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Chief Executive's Office, the government said.

He was deputy director of Home Affairs from July 2013 to July 2017 and has been serving as deputy secretary for Home Affairs since July 2017.

RTHK reports that Leung told staff in a note that the past five and a half years of serving "RTHK and society with you have been indelible, and I am grateful for every moment."