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Hong Kong politics
Opinion
SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Accountability system for Hong Kong’s top civil servants is long overdue

A fair and transparent mechanism, with effective protections for those under scrutiny, should be welcomed

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A man looks at the government’s headquarters in Tamar, Admiralty, on February 22, 2025. Photo: Edmond So
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
The departmental head who apologised for a HK$52.9 million (US$6.8 million) government water procurement scandal has begun pre-retirement leave, in what a minister has said is a normal arrangement, while the incident remains under review. It may not come under the accountability system proposed in the chief executive’s policy address, but Carlson Chan Ka-shun’s exit as director of the Government Logistics Department will be seen as consistent with the government’s resolve to strengthen accountability for underperformance.

For more than 20 years, Hong Kong has had an accountability system for ministers and other political appointees, but not for the most senior civil servants who implement their policies. Given their role, there has not been a convincing reason as to why they should not be subject to accountability for their performance in the same way.

Now Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has revealed that all civil servants are to be subject to a new accountability mechanism, with dismissal as the maximum penalty. This is welcome – and comes with sound procedural safeguards for their rights. The system will also cover the heads of government policy bureaus.

Under a proposed two-tier system, a department head will be responsible for general cases, while the Public Service Commission will investigate serious cases, or those involving department heads.

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