Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor proposed in the Policy Address that all civil servants are requested in one go to sign a statement swearing an oath to pledge loyalty, and pointed out the other day the request might be extended to cover all personnel paid by the government or work in watchdogs with public power. Actually, under the current political setting, the requisition has been expected early on, but it is alleged the proposed measure has prompted a lot of functionaries, public officials or personnel paid by the government to worry for it. It is not the case that they are not supportive of Beijing and the SAR government, but some fear it is going to be an obstacle to their application for emigration to the UK with the British National (Overseas) (BNO) passport, while some fear it will be an impediment to their upholding the British citizenship.

A professional told yours truly that nowadays a lot of people paid by the government or watchdogs’ personnel have British citizenship, and a lot of civil servants have a BNO passport. “Plenty of them, not least the blue-ribbon, have been thinking about taking early retirement after making money for a few more years. Those who have British citizenship have bought their residential properties there early on while those who haven’t have been thinking about emigration via the BNO 5+1 course.”

After Carrie Lam announced all of a sudden that the oath taking will be extended to cover a lot more public officials, a friend of the professional’s told him that news report indicated British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intended tabling a new Treason Act, according to which those British citizens swearing an oath to pledge allegiance to a foreign force or organization have committed a crime, and they will get prosecuted when checking in at customs. “He asked that if he has to swear an oath to pledge loyalty to Beijing and the Hong Kong government, and if by any remote chance the Act is passed in the UK, will he risk breaching the law, and even not be able to take advantage of the BNO 5+1 course?”

Grinning, that professional said he had consulted some legal practitioners about it, and they said since how the Act is to be written is unknown yet, it is hardly possible to make comments about it. “But he said an off-hand analysis would suggest certain risk is certainly involved.” So, that yellow-ribbon legal practitioner advised, “Being meritocrats that love the country and Hong Kong, they should take this opportunity to forgo the British citizenship or BNO passport, state clearly they will not emigrate to the UK, and will only go to the Greater Bay Area after retirement. That is a surefire safe way.” Chuckling, he said he supported Carrie Lam’s proposal. “So, the blue-ribbon can no longer pay lip service to Beijing while planning to emigrate through the BNO shortcut after making enough money.”

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