Is it morally right for John Tsang to contest the Hong Kong chief executive election?

John Chan says the former financial secretary’s explanation of why he resigned is hard to believe, given that he appears to have been eyeing the top post for years

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Rival candidates John Tsang and Carrie Lam at an election debate on March 14, with less than two weeks to go before a 1,194-member committee makes its choice among three hopefuls, the third being retired judge Woo Kwok-hing. Photo: AP

Published: 2:02pm, 17 Mar 2017Updated: 7:14pm, 17 Mar 2017

John Tsang Chun-wah has said he resigned as financial secretary not to run for chief executive, “but because of many other things”. “Unhappiness at work was one of the reasons. It was not a sudden decision.” He also said he only made up his mind to run after he had left.

Most would find that hard to believe. Judging from Tsang’s high-profile preparation over the past two years, and the fact that he never denied suggestions that he intended to run, it is inconceivable that he should say he resigned in December not to run for the top post but for some other reason.

John Tsang quit finance minister job after row with Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying over budget

Consideration of political morality explains why Tsang may have presented his case as an unbelievable sudden decision. He knows it would be deemed politically unethical and immoral if he should admit to preparing to run for two years, or even from just before Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying unexpectedly announced he would not seek a second term.

Former chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, in stark contrast to Tsang’s wishy-washy stance, had always clearly asserted that she would not run. Her firm denials changed only after Leung said he would not seek a second term. Lam was clear on the point that it would be politically immoral for a serving cabinet member to contest the top post with the incumbent also running.

Watch: Carrie Lam announces candidacy for chief executive

In the US, the last time a former cabinet secretary became a major party’s choice for president was in 1928, when commerce secretary Herbert Hoover won the Republican nomination and went on to become the 31st US president. However, he ran only after sitting president Calvin Coolidge said he would not.

Almost all local media said Tsang had been making preparations to run for the top post for more than two years