Former financial secretary John Tsang denies conflict of interest and hits out at lack of promotion for RTHK programme
Government hit back, urging Tsang to provide details of his filming for the advisory committee to approve
Former financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah and government authorities have become ensnared in a political row over the failed chief executive contender’s appearance on a new RTHK programme.
Tsang has accused RTHK, the government-owned broadcaster, of suspending promotion of a TV series he will host, according to a report in Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao on Saturday.
RTHK employees claimed their leaders were given orders or were under pressure from the government to put the series on hold, Tsang said, because he did not notify the government advisory committee about the filming.
Tsang will host a 10-episode series for RTHK, as well as guest on a radio programme for rival station Commercial Radio.
Tsang, speaking through a spokesman on Saturday afternoon, stressed he was not paid for the filming and recording and was not employed by any organisations.
According to a guidance note for post-office employment, politically appointed officials are not allowed to “commence any employment, become a director or a partner in any business or profession or start any business or profession on his or her own account or with others”, that would likely constitute a conflict of interest with their former work in the first year after they step down.
