LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 10589 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 8 May 2014 The Council continued to meet at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, B.B.S., M.H. 10590 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, S.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 10591 THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, S.B.S., J.P. 10592 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P., Ph.D., R.N. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 10593 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY MR GODFREY LEUNG KING-KWOK, JP SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (until 7.35 pm) THE HONOURABLE GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (from 7.35 pm) CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR ANDY LAU KWOK-CHEONG, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS PERCY MA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 10594 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 BILLS Committee Stage CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Committee will now continue with the second joint debate on the Appropriation Bill 2014. APPROPRIATION BILL 2014 CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Does any Member wish to speak? MR ALBERT CHAN (in Cantonese): Chairman, I have been unable to speak clearly due to gum inflammation. Now it is more difficult for me to utter words probably because I ate "claypot rice" a couple of days ago, which has affected me. Chairman, yesterday I mentioned special appointments of the Chief Executive's Office (CEO) with the conclusion that such an arrangement would dampen the morale of civil servants due to the lack of mechanism and appointment criteria for such high-paying posts, not to mention that their duties are unknown and there is no explanation by the authorities. Nepotism is obviously the norm under which almost all appointments are the means to transfer benefits from the political perspective. I would like to share some information with Members. Some government officials in this Chamber or those who are now lobbying Members outside have also been appointed to such posts … CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese): Mr CHAN, please indicate which amendment you are now speaking on. MR ALBERT CHAN (in Cantonese): Amendment No 11. It is resolved that head 21 be reduced by $11,658,000 in respect of subhead 000, which is roughly equivalent to the annual provision for the remuneration of special appointments of the CEO. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 10595 As I mentioned earlier, some of the candidates are sitting in this Chamber today. Given that the annual remunerations of these Special Assistants are so high, the public consider that they are unworthy of their remunerations. It is also doubtful whether the appointees are worthy of such high remunerations. There are plenty of such posts. For example, there is a Senior Special Assistant under the Special Committee. The provision for remuneration of such a post including the payment of end-of-contract gratuity is $2.99 million. As for the other amendments, Chairman, I can deal with them jointly so that I need not repeat my arguments later. Let us take a look at Amendments No 24 and No 25. Amendment No 24 seeks to reduce the annual remuneration of the Senior Special Assistant of the CEO, which is $2.99 million. Amendment No 25 seeks to reduce $2.61 million, which is the provision for the annual remuneration of Information Coordinator. I will discuss these two Amendments together with Amendment No 11 because these three are inter-related with similar logic and rationale. Take the duties of the Senior Special Assistant as an example. His duties are: Advises the Chief Executive on Mainland-related issues; liaises with the Central People's Government and provides support in the organization of Chief Executive's visits to the Mainland; and researches into matters relating to Chief Executive's networking with business and community organizations with strong Mainland connections. If the aforesaid duties alone are taken into account, I think the LOCPG, to a certain extent, is performing all these duties. Its responsibilities are even broader and wider. I believe the Chief Executive does not need a so-called Senior Special Assistant to take up the liaison work with the LOCPG, thereby wasting almost $3 million per year. Perhaps due to the presence of this Senior Special Assistant, the Chief Executive has always travelled to the Mainland. As we can see it, he has paid so many visits to the Mainland in order to meet with relevant provincial and municipal officials that the public feel that he has completely forgotten to serve Hong Kong. Many people in Hong Kong have strongly criticized that Hong Kong has been Mainlandized and is no longer an international city. Furthermore, while Hong Kong continues to strengthen ties with the Mainland, it has lost touch with other major international cities. This is neither a proper trend nor a desirable phenomenon. The remuneration of this Senior Special Assistant can be compared with that of the Prime Minister of Japan, who is earning an annual salary of only US$160,000. But now this 10596 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 8 May 2014 Senior Special Assistant is only responsible for arranging visits and liaison work. I do not see any need to set up this post. If my understanding is correct, the incumbent Senior Special Assistant is CHAN Kin-ping. I am not sure whether he has been replaced. If not, he is the incumbent post-holder. As we all understand it, according to information, this gentleman, who is a Communist Party member, has worked for Wen Wei Po. Owing to his special political background, the public wonder whether he is assigned by the Communist Party and the Central Government, just like the political assistants of the former Governors of Hong Kong who were assigned by the British Government. In the era of the last Governor, Chris PATTEN, he had two aides nicknamed "big tortoise" and "small tortoise". We could see that they always came out with Chris PATTEN. But this Senior Special Assistant seldom appears in public. Such a political assistant with such a political background seems to be hiding himself away. It seems that he is working in a black hole and no one has seen him. As for his duties, there is no explanation on whether his performance and ability can meet the standard of value for money.