'There's only one vetting criterion - patriotism'

Staff reporters

Patriotism is the only vetting criterion for district council candidates, says the Chief Secretary for Administration and chairman of the vetting committee, Eric Chan Kwok-ki.

In the proposed revamped district councils, whose election is expected to be held at the end of the year, candidates have to receive nine nominations - three each from area committees, district fight crime committees and district fire safety committees.

In an interview with The Standard's sister newspaper Sing Tao Daily, Chan said all the government-appointed members of the committees do not need to seek authorities' opinions before nominating a candidate.

He said the members of the three committees are patriots who are familiar with district affairs and so can ensure nominees are passionate and capable of serving the community.

In response to pro-democratic politicians' comments that they would not be able to secure nominations, Chan said the requirements are already low.

He said interested politicians only need to approach three people from each committee and explain their jobs and aspirations. Members would nominate candidates they have confidence in.

"There is only one vetting criterion: whether you're a patriot or not," he said. "We won't filter people with different political views. You can oppose government policies, and publicly criticize the government. These are not problems."

He added: "But if you are not patriotic, if you want Hong Kong independence, and the Communist Party to topple, then of course you don't fit."

Chan said the government has no intention to use national security vetting as a tool to bar candidates.

Asked if incumbent district councillors who are allowed to stay in their seats after taking the oath in 2021 to uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the SAR, including some from the pro-democratic camp, can assume they would pass the vetting, Chan said it is not certain.

"Who knows what they have done in the last two months?" he said.

Authorities have announced the proposed political reform to bring back appointed seats and slash the proportion of directly elected seats to just 88, or 20 percent, of 470 district councillors.

Chan again rejected criticism that district councils would be hit by "democratic regression." He added: "Majority of the district councillors were produced by election in 2019. What was the outcome? They only talked about politics and were elected by chanting slogans. I don't think that's democratic progression."

District officers will chair all district councils and will also be head of the committees and care teams, but Chan disagreed they will become a "mini chief executive" of the district as they are still civil servants who are regulated by the Civil Service Code. Chan said district officers also have their own bosses.

"Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen will monitor their work. The Steering Committee on District Governance and Task Force on District Governance, and myself, will also monitor them. We will not allow a so-called chairman to act recklessly," he said.

Chan said district officers have to act according to rules, while the SAR's leader and other principal officials will monitor them. "It's impossible to allow a person to do whatever he or she wants, so I completely disagree with some people saying they are the mini chief executive in the district," he said.

"As long as we have received two complaints, and if we find problems after investigation, we can carry out the punishment and the punishment mechanism for civil servants is even clearer."

He said it is good that district officers will chair district councils as they are familiar with government operations and good at communicating with various departments.