The Honourable
Caspar Tsui
徐英偉
Tsui in 2020.
Secretary for Home Affairs
In office
22 April 2020 – 24 February 2022
Chief ExecutiveCarrie Lam
Preceded byLau Kong-wah
Succeeded byAlice Mak (as Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs)
Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare
In office
2 August 2017 – 22 April 2020
SecretaryLaw Chi-kwong
Preceded byStephen Sui
Succeeded byHo Kai-ming
Political Assistant to the Secretary for Home Affairs
In office
June 2008 – 2 August 2017
SecretaryTsang Tak-sing
Lau Kong-wah
Succeeded byJade Lai Wing-yu
Personal details
Born (1977-09-02) September 2, 1977 (age 46)
Hong Kong
NationalityChinese (Hong Kong)
Political partyDAB
Alma materUniversity of Ottawa (BSocSc)
University of Manchester (MBA)

Caspar Tsui Ying-wai (Chinese: 徐英偉; born 2 September 1977) is a Hong Kong politician, government official and DAB party member. From 2020 to 2022, he has been Secretary for Home Affairs.

Tsui used to be a columnist for the opinion section of Ming Pao. In February 2023, he participated in a TV program "Table For Three And More" as a guest host. From April 3, 2023, Tsui serves as the Secretariat - Executive Director of The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners Limited.

On June 23, 2023, Tsui was elected as Non-Club-Linked Director of The Football Association of Hong Kong China, and his term of office will end in 2027.

Early life

Tsui graduated in social sciences from the University of Ottawa and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Manchester. He worked at several banks including HSBC in Canada, Bank of Montreal, Merrill Lynch and American Express Bank before becoming an investment services manager at Hang Seng Bank. He stepped into politics in 2006 when he joined the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), the largest pro-Beijing party in Hong Kong. He was the vice-chairman of its youth branch, the Young DAB, from 2007 to 2008.[1]

Political career

He joined the government in the appointed role of Political Assistant to the Secretary for Home Affairs in 2008, after he renounced his Canadian citizenship that year.[1]

In 2017 he became Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare. It was reported that on one occasion that year Tsui appeared unable to specify the Hong Kong minimum wage when a journalist asked him, and he had to pass the question to the Secretary, Law Chi-kwong.[2]

In April 2020, he was appointed Secretary for Home Affairs, while remaining a member of the DAB, succeeding Lau Kong-wah.[3] Tsui, aged 43 when appointed, was the youngest cabinet minister; and also the first political assistant eventually promoted to cabinet since the system was installed.[4]

An unnamed "government insider" spoken to by the South China Morning Post described Tsui as a "diligent" contributor to Carrie Lam's "ambitious" governmental reforms, notably regarding sports-related and cultural policies.[5]

In 2020, Tsui was criticised by, among others, LegCo member Alice Mak for posting an article on the Internet of himself eating sweet soup during a fatal fire in Yau Ma Tei, and responding to critics that there was "no conflict in multitasking".[6][2]

In December 2020, Tsui said that freedom of speech for Hong Kong citizens is not "absolute," and that "[the] exercise by anyone of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities, and may therefore be subject to certain restrictions as provided by law as necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others, or the protection of national security or of public order, or of public health or morals."[7]

In April 2021, Tsui briefed the sports and culture industries on why the NPCSC implemented rules to only allow "patriots" to serve in the government, and asked for their full support.[8]

In that year, new oath-taking requirements were implemented for Hong Kong District Council members. Tsui observed councillors' first ceremony taking the new oaths.[9] Tsui was accused by members of the opposition bloc of using "scare tactics" to persuade as many as 200 or more opposition councillors to leave their positions prematurely, before these requirements were implemented, rather than risk potential disqualification by being judged unable to meet the new requirements.[10] (By October 8th that year, the new requirements had resulted in 33 such disqualifications.)[11] The South China Morning Post reported that many such premature resignations were encouraged by rumours spread in the media by "unspecified government sources" that disqualified councillors would have to return their entire salaries and operating expense payments since taking office. The Post quoted "multiple government sources" as having said Tsui and his aides did not clarify the truth or falsity of such rumours or specify how much money, if any, would have to be reimbursed upon disqualification, despite knowing the legal rationale for such reimbursements was "weak".[9][10][12]

Birthday party controversy

Main article: Witman Hung birthday party controversy

On 5 January 2022, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced new warnings and restrictions against social gathering due to potential COVID-19 outbreaks.[13] One day later, it was discovered that Tsui attended a birthday party hosted by Witman Hung, with 222 guests.[14][15][16] At least one guest tested positive with COVID-19, causing all guests to be quarantined.[16]

On 25 January 2022, South China Morning Post reported that Chief Executive Carrie Lam wanted to fire Tsui from his post over the party scandal, but Lam encountered resistance from pro-establishment figures, including Tsui's party, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).[17] Both Ip Kwok-Him and Tam Yiu-chung were among those who had defended Tsui.[18]

On 31 January 2022, Casper Tsui tendered his resignation to the Chief Executive.[19] It was revealed that Tsui attended the party just hours after having had a meeting with core officials on tightening social-distancing rules.[20] Carrie Lam confirmed Tsui did not use the mandatory "LeaveHomeSafe" app when entering the restaurant.[20] The resignation was approved by the Chinese Government on 24 February.[21]

Personal life

Tsui is married.[22] Together with his wife, he owns one unit at Parc Oasis in Kowloon Tong, after having sold another unit and two parking spots for a profit of HK$6.475 million around the end of 2021.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b "New faces Carrie Lam has enlisted to help Hong Kong tackle coronavirus impact". South China Morning Post. 20 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Caspar Tsui's resignation costs him HK$1.9 million". The Standard. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Government announces appointment and removal of Principal Officials (with photos)". Hong Kong Government. 20 April 2020.
  4. ^ 陳嘉洛, 陳小瑜 (21 April 2020). "【獨家】消息：勞福局副局徐英偉接民政局長 與劉江華同屬民建聯". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Unprecedented rise, undignified exit: minister felled by rules he helped oversee". South China Morning Post. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  6. ^ https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr20-21/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20201216-translate-e.pdf Hong Kong Legislative Council Official Record Of Proceedings, 16 Dec 2020, p. 2399
  7. ^ "Hong Kong to study 'loopholes' in current laws against misinformation as press freedom advocate raises alarm". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  8. ^ Kong, Dimsumdaily Hong (6 April 2021). "Secretary for Home Affairs holds briefing sessions on improvements to electoral system of HK for sports and culture sectors". Dimsum Daily. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Hong Kong district councillors face first oath-taking ceremony on Friday". South China Morning Post. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Unprecedented rise, undignified exit: minister felled by rules he helped oversee". South China Morning Post. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ Kwan, Rhoda (8 October 2021). "16 more Hong Kong district councillors ousted over 'invalid' oaths of loyalty to gov't, bringing total to 33 - Hong Kong Free Press HKFP". hongkongfp.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Six-monthly report on Hong Kong: 1 July to 31 December 2021". GOV.UK. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Bars, gyms to close, 6pm restaurant curfew as Hong Kong ramps up Omicron battle". South China Morning Post. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  14. ^ "衞生防護中心最新發現洪為民宴會人數為222人 - RTHK".
  15. ^ Hong Kong Finds New Suspected Covid Case at Official’s Scandal-Hit Birthday Party
  16. ^ a b "All 170 guests of Covid-19 scandal-hit birthday party sent to quarantine". South China Morning Post. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Hong Kong home affairs chief Caspar Tsui 'to leave role over partygate'". South China Morning Post. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  18. ^ "A Hong Kong minister's expected exit hints at Beijing's views on accountability". South China Morning Post. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Statement by Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui". Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  20. ^ a b "Hong Kong home affairs chief Caspar Tsui quits over scandal-hit party". South China Morning Post. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Government announces removal of Principal Official". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  22. ^ a b Standard, The. "Caspar Tsui's resignation costs him HK$1.9 million". The Standard. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
Political offices New title Political Assistant to the Secretary for Home Affairs 2008–2017 Succeeded byJade Lai Wing-yu Preceded byStephen Sui Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare 2017–2020 Succeeded byHo Kai-ming Preceded byLau Kong-wah Secretary for Home Affairs 2020–2022 Succeeded byAlice Mak
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