Tens of thousands of civil servants were told by the Hong Kong government on Friday to sign a declaration of allegiance or face possible dismissal within the next four weeks.
The form, issued by the civil service bureau, requires civil servants to pledge allegiance to the government and uphold the basic law.
“In accordance with the basic legislation and the law on the civil service, it has always been the duty of civil servants to uphold the basic law, to remain faithful to the HKSAR, to be committed to their duties and to be accountable to the HKSAR government,” reads a statement by the bureau.
“It’s always been what the government and society expect and demand of them. “All civil servants should not acknowledge these basic duties in any ambiguity,” he added.
The form reads: ‘I declare that, as a civil servant of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, I will uphold the basic law … and be faithful to the [HKSAR], be committed to my duties and be accountable to the HKSAR Government. ”
The city’s leading government officials, including RTHK Director Leung Ka-wing, promised to uphold the basic law and keep the government faithful in the official swearing-in ceremony last month.
Civil servants must return the signed declaration form within four weeks or receive a review of their suitability to remain in their job.
“Negligence or refusal to take the oath or to properly sign and return the declaration by a civil servant doubts his or her willingness to take on these basic duties and his or her suitability to remain in the public service. to continue performing his or her official duties, ”a government spokesman said during a swearing-in ceremony in December.
Disciplinary procedures
The government said any government officials who violated their oath of allegiance would be subject to existing disciplinary mechanisms.
In a circular, the government said the following behavior could not be seen as enforcing the basic law:
– Advocate HK independence
– refuses to recognize the sovereignty of the FRC over HK
– request for intervention by external forces
– activities that endanger national security– Timmy Sung
(@timmysung) 15 January 2021
Activities deemed to be in breach of basic law include pleading for Hong Kong’s independence, seeking foreign interference in its affairs and other acts that endanger national security, according to a government letter quoted a staff member.
The declaration requirement applies to civil servants who were appointed before 1 July last year. Those who joined after that date have already signed, according to government figures – more than 4,000 of them.
