Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (January 27):

Reporter: Good morning, Chief Executive. First, regarding the resignation of Mr Erick Tsang, currently in the CMAB (Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau), both the Political Assistant and Permanent Secretary of the bureau are vacant, and now the Secretary is gone as well. How can you ensure the bureau will run smoothly? You just said that no other underperforming officials will be removed in the near future. Is it possible that some officials will be sacked after the Tai Po fire independent committee (Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po) wraps up its work? And second question, regarding the new seat belt law, I am not sure if the Government misjudged that it did not conduct a public consultation back then when enacting the law. Would the Government consider calls like exempting short-haul journeys from the new rules? Thank you.

Chief Executive: You have asked three questions, but I will exceptionally deal with them all. First of all, the application by Erick Tsang to resign from his job because of personal health reasons is fully appreciated. Principal Officials' jobs are very demanding. Not just the workload is heavy, but the pressure is also heavy. I can understand why Erick, under the present health condition, would like to take a rest so as to take care of his health problems. 

     I have also said that there will be no further change of Principal Officials, particularly now that we have so many things to do, and they are all doing these as I require them to, sharing my governance philosophy. For the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB), because of the departure of Erick Tsang, of course, it will mean that I will have to look for a replacement. In the meantime, the Under Secretary will be the Acting Secretary. I will ensure that the CMAB will be sufficiently staffed with colleagues of the right calibre, and I will be discussing with the Civil Service Bureau, so that we can make early arrangements for the right staff to be posted to the CMAB. Lying ahead, the CMAB has a lot of important tasks to do. That is why I said that had Erick's health condition been manageable, I really would have liked him to continue. But since he has now applied for resignation, we have to ensure that we build up some kind of study teams within the CMAB, so as to look at the different work that lies ahead, laying out the priorities and the significance for each task, and then supply the CMAB with sufficient staff and people with the right calibre. That will be done as soon as possible. 

     In regard to the accountability for the Tai Po fire, I have said repeatedly that all those who should be held accountable will be held to account, whether they are within the Government or outside the Government, whether they are at the junior level or senior level, and that we will pursue accountability to the very end. Accountability must be grounded on facts and evidence. It has to be fair and just to all parties concerned on this basis. Any action taken before the facts have been fully ascertained will not be based on facts and evidence and would therefore not be in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice. The criminal investigations by law enforcement agencies, including the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, as well as the comprehensive review by the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po chaired by Mr Justice David Lok, are being carried out at full speed and with the utmost effort to ascertain the truth and clarify responsibilities as soon as possible. I will pursue accountability in accordance with the actual circumstances or the basis of the facts and evidence as established by these investigations.

     Regarding seat belts, wearing seat belts on public transport has been implemented for many years in a lot of countries and places, some for over 10 years, some for over 20 years, for example, in the Mainland, the UK, Australia and Singapore - all with the aim of safeguarding passengers' lives and safety. Studies have shown that in head-on collisions, seat belts can reduce serious injuries by 70 per cent and deaths by 40 per cent, preventing passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle or in subsequent hitting around inside the vehicle. The recommendation to wear seat belts was given in the review of a serious, fatal traffic accident in 2018 on Tai Po Road, which resulted in 19 deaths and 66 injuries. The Independent Review Committee, set up to inquire into that accident, has come up with this recommendation among a series of other recommendations, with a view to preventing similar large-scale deaths and injuries. The recommendation was made based on research, discussion, and also sad and sorrowful experience learned. I understand the measure will require a change in behaviour, and passengers may feel inconvenient at the beginning. However, this small change in behaviour can potentially reduce serious injuries by 70 per cent and deaths by 40 per cent. The intent is to enhance safety protection for passengers. 

     During the implementation process, the primary focus of the initial phase will be on public education, advice, and changing habits. Meanwhile, the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) will require public transport operators to properly manage the cleanliness, functionality, and regulatory compliance of seat belt installations. The TLB will continue its promotion, publicity, and educational efforts to ensure the public understands that the law intends to protect them from serious injuries when an accident occurs unexpectedly. At the same time, the law allows for a reasonable excuse, such as an emergency or sudden special need, and those people will be exempted from liability. The Government will handle each case balanced in law, reason, and compassion. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Ends/Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Issued at HKT 13:45

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