As row with government rumbles on, former Hong Kong finance chief John Tsang plugs TV show

Defeated chief executive candidate insists he did not need to declare work with broadcaster RTHK, because it was unpaid, and says he is waiting to hear from Chief Executive’s Office

Reading Time:2 minutes

John Tsang was promoting his new television show. Photo: RTHK

Published: 10:01pm, 4 Nov 2017Updated: 10:58pm, 4 Nov 2017

Hong Kong’s former financial chief John Tsang Chun-wah was out and about promoting his new television show on Saturday, as his dispute with government authorities over his post-office employment with RTHK rumbled on.

Tsang said he was still waiting for a response from officials about whether needed to declare his unpaid work with the public broadcaster after being in touch via email with top staff at Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s office.

Both sides have been locked in a dispute since October over a 10-episode television series called Hong Kong Stories – Repair Time that Tsang helped produce with RTHK.

The failed chief executive candidate first accused the government-owned broadcaster of suspending promotion of the series because he had not told a government advisory committee about the filming. RTHK has dismissed the claims.

Lam in response urged her former colleague and competitor in the Hong Kong leadership race this year to “respect the system” like other officials who need to formally declare any work after leaving government.

John Tsang lost out to Carrie Lam in the chief executive race. Woo Kwok-hing (right) came third. Photo: Robert Ng

Tsang reiterated that he believed it unnecessary for him to notify a government advisory committee about his activities because they were not to be counted as employment.