September 12th, 2012:

SCMP

Submitted by eldes.tran on Sep 12th 2012, 1:22pm

News›Hong Kong

C.Y. LEUNG’S CABINET

Lai Ying-kit

Christine Loh Kung-wai, an outspoken critic of Hong Kong environmental policy, was named undersecretary for the environment on Wednesday morning, amid a flurry of other appointments.

Loh, 56, a former legislator and chief executive of the policy think tank Civic Exchange, will take office immediately, the Chief Executive’s Office announced.

Two other undersecretaries and two political assistants were named to the cabinet of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Wednesday.

Deputy police commissioner John Lee Ka-chiu, 55, was appointed undersecretary for security; and incumbent Undersecretary for Transport and Housing Yau Shing-mu, 52, will remain in that post. Yau takes office on Saturday and Lee on October 1.

Ronald Chan Ngok-pang, 29, was appointed political assistant to the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs. He was a special assistant to former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.

Caspar Tsui Ying-wai will continue as political assistant to the secretary for home affairs. Tsui, a member of the pro-government Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, took up the position in June 2008.

Chan assumes office immediately and Tsui will begin on October 8.

The Chief Executive’s Office said these appointments were the result of recommendations by the head of their respective policy bureaus.

Leung has now appointed five undersecretaries and two political assistants for his 12 ministers.

Undersecretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Julia Leung Fung-yee and undersecretary for Home Affairs Florence Hui Hiu-fai have been in office since July 1, when Leung’s terms started.

Under the political appointment system introduced by Tsang in 2008, each minister has an undersecretary and a political assistant.

“The selection process for undersecretaries and political assistants for the remaining bureaus is under way,” the Chief Executive’s Office said.

Topics:

Environment

Leung Chun-Ying

Cabinet