The Public Offices (Candidacy and Taking Up Offices) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2021 was gazetted and came into effect on May 21, 2021. The Ordinance amends certain legislation, including requiring District Council (DC) members to take an oath to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and bear allegiance to the HKSAR of the PRC (uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR).
The Government today (October 4) held the oath-taking ceremony for DC members from the North District Council, the Tai Po District Council, the Sai Kung District Council and the Sha Tin District Council at North Point Community Hall. During the oath-taking ceremony, the DC members present took oaths individually that they would uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR. The oath-taking was administered by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, who was authorised by the Chief Executive as the oath administrator.
According to the Interpretation of Article 104 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR of the PRC by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the person administering the oath has the duty to ensure that the oath is taken in a lawful manner. He or she shall determine that an oath taken in compliance with the Interpretation and the requirements under the laws of the HKSAR is valid, and that an oath which is not taken in compliance with the Interpretation and the requirements under the laws of the HKSAR is invalid. If the oath taken is determined as invalid, no arrangement shall be made for retaking the oath.
Based on the principles laid down by the Interpretation and the relevant legal provisions, the oath administrator determined that the oaths taken by the following DC members were valid:
North District Council
1. Mr Lee Koon-hung
2. Mr Li Kwok-fung
3. Mr Hau Chi-keung
4. Ms Chan Yuet-ming
5. Mr Chow Kam-ho
6. Mr Cheung Chun-wai
7. Mr Wan Wo-tat, Warwick
8. Mr Hau Fuk-tat, Simon
9. Mr Ko Wai-kei
10. Mr Law Ting-tak
Tai Po District Council
1. Mr Li Yiu-ban
2. Mr Lam Yick-kuen
3. Mr Au Chun-ho
4. Mr Ho Wai-lam
5. Mr Mo Ka-chun, Patrick
6. Mr Lau Yung-wai
7. Mr Tam Yi-pui
Sai Kung District Council
1. Mr Wong Shui-sang
2. Mr Lau Kai-hong
3. Mr Cheung Chin-pang
4. Mr Choi Ming-hei
5. Mr Chan Yiu-chor, Andrew
6. Mr Chau Yin-ming, Francis
7. Ms Fong Kwok-shan, Christine
8. Mr Cheung Mei-hung
Sha Tin District Council
1. Mr Mok Kam-kwai
2. Mr Wai Hing-cheung
3. Mr Chow Hiu-laam, Felix
4. Mr Hui Lap-san
5. Mr Chung Lai-him
6. Mr Mak Yun-pui
7. Mr Sin Cheuk-nam
8. Mr Cheng Chung-hang
9. Dr Lam Kong-kwan
As Mr Yiu Kwan-ho of the Tai Po District Council is currently in prison, the oath administrator considers that it is not reasonably practicable to arrange oath-taking for him currently. If his situation changes and he is still serving as a DC member by then, the Government will make separate arrangements. As for Ms Wong Hoi-ying of the North District Council, she provided the oath administrator with the reason for not attending today's oath-taking ceremony and requested separate oath-taking arrangements for her. The oath administrator is now handling her case.
Moreover, as the oath administrator had doubts on the validity of the oaths taken by the following DC members today, letters were issued to the DC members concerned to require them to provide additional information for the oath administrator to decide the validity of their oaths.
Tai Po District Council
1. Mr Chan Chun-chit, Richard
2. Ms Chan Wai-ka, Olive
3. Mr So Tat-leung
Sai Kung District Council
1. Mr Lee Yin-ho, Ryan
2. Mr Lee Ka-yui
3. Mr Or Yiu-lam, Ricky
4. Ms Wong Cheuk-nga
Sha Tin District Council
1. Mr Li Chi-wang
2. Mr Shek William
3. Mr Lai Tsz-yan
4. Mr Lo Tak-ming
5. Mr Wong Ho-fung
6. Mr Ng Kam-hung
7. Ms Ng Ting-lam, Kudama
8. Mr Wong Hok-lai
9. Mr Cheng Tsuk-man
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