Tuen Mun District Councillor Kenneth Yip has been suspended from duty for a week after he was convicted of dangerous driving in May.
Yip, who was convicted over a head-on collision with a taxi in May, is the first to be punished under new performance guidelines for local councillors.
According to a Tuesday government press release, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak received a report from a supervisory committee on September 1.
The suspension was recommended after “considering the evidence related to the misconduct, the negative impact of the incident on DC [District Council] members, DCs and the Government’s reputation and credibility, as well as Mr Yip’s written representation,” the press release said.
During the suspension, Yip will not receive any remuneration or allowances, but can claim operating expenses such as office rental and staff salaries, it said.
Mak said it was the first time the government had investigated and imposed sanctions on a district councillor for misconduct under the new performance monitoring mechanism introduced in 2023.
“The Government places strong emphasis on the conduct and integrity of DC members, and they should conduct themselves in a manner that is in line with public expectations and commensurate with the reputation of the DC and its members,” she said.
