Lai Tung-kwok has been appointed Under Secretary for Security and Adeline Wong Under Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs until June 30, 2012.

Announcing the appointments today Chief Executive Donald Tsang said they were chosen through a rigorous selection process.

New appointments: Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee with Under Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok, and Under Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Adeline Wong with her bureau head Stephen Lam.

Selection based on meritocracy

Chaired by Mr Tsang, the appointment committee comprised the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice, the Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office.

The committee paid due regard to the established principles of meritocracy, personal integrity, commitment to serve and the need to appoint the most fitting candidates.

"We are fully confident Mr Lai and Miss Wong will excel in their respective Under Secretary positions," Mr Tsang said.

Mr Lai's remuneration will be pegged at 75% of that of a director of bureau and Miss Wong at 70%. Mr Lai's actual monthly salary will be $211,560 and Miss Wong's $197,455, as both have agreed to the 5.38% voluntary pay cut the Chief Executive and his political team volunteered to take in July.

Mr Tsang said the appointees will work closely as a team with bureau secretaries and the civil service in implementing his policy blueprint and agenda.

On the press conference held today, both Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Stephan Lam and Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee welcomed the appointments.

In responding to a reporter's question about the civil service background of these two new appointees, Mr Lam said the Government already appointed people from different backgrounds as under secretaries last year.

Since both bureaux involved in this case have rather complex policy issues which may carry legal implications, people from the civil service will be more suitable, said Mr Lam.

Miss Wong said she will mainly work on the constitutional reform for 2012 and will keep close contact with legislators, district councilors, the media and community groups.

Mr Lai said he will make use of his experience in the disciplinary services when working in the Security Bureau.

Aged 57, Mr Lai joined the Immigration Department in December 1973 and was promoted to the post of Director of Immigration in July 2002. He retired in April this year.

Miss Wong, 45, entered the Government's Administrative Service in November 1990 and is currently Deputy Director for Home Affairs.