Andrew Fung Wai-kwong set for HK$3.4 million salary in the 2016-17 financial year and HK$430,000 gratuity
OWEN.FUNG@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Saturday, 02 April, 2016, 10:46am
Andrew Fung Wai-kwong, information coordinator for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Andrew Fung Wai-kwong, the outspoken information coordinator for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, was described by lawmakers as incompetent and a “sycophant” at a special Finance Committee meeting on the government’s budget on Friday.
The comments came as official documents were released showing Fung would receive a 14 per cent pay rise to take his salary to HK$3.4 million in the 2016-17 financial year.
On top of the rise, Fung will also receive an end-of-contract gratuity of HK$430,000, taking his total earnings to HK$3.83 million.
“Many civil servants and members of the public would not be satisfied to see the information coordinator receiving HK$3.83 million for doing nothing,” Lee Cheuk-yan, of the Labour Party, said. “Is the amount to reward his effort in being a sycophant?”
Fung is responsible for handling media relations for the city’s top official. But since taking up the post three years ago, the former Democratic Party member has made headlines on numerous occasions with controversial remarks and blunders.
People Power’s Albert Chan Wai-yip called it a “joke” that Fung was information coordinator when he couldn’t even write a press release.
Vincent Fang Kang of the Liberal Party questioned how pay rises for high-level officials were determined, pointing out that while Fung’s pay cheque had been bumped up, the director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Edward Yau Tang-wah, had seen his pay remain the same.
“Is it because he has done a great job in managing the chief executive’s social media accounts?”
Responding to lawmakers’ questions, a representative of the Chief Executive’s Office said Fung’s pay was adjusted in line with pay rises for other civil servants.
During the meeting, a number of lawmakers also questioned whether there was a potential conflict of interest in a decision by the Central Policy Unit, a government think tank, to grant more than HK$2 million over the past three years to the One Country Two Systems Research Institute to conduct studies.
The institute was led by current CPU head Shiu Sin-por and Leung, while its current chief executive is Executive Council member Cheung Chi-kong.
A representative of the CPU, however, dismissed such concerns, stressing the think tank followed strict procedures in selecting contractors to carry out studies.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1932935/cy-leungs-information-coordinator-called-sycophant-hong-kong
