Former Tuen Mun District Councillor Kenneth Cheung has been denied registration as a social worker by the Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB), which cited his past convictions for offences said to have “damaged the reputation of the profession.” Although the cases resulted only in fines and not imprisonment, and despite Cheung having previously been registered in 2011 with a criminal record, his latest application was rejected, raising concerns over possible political screening.
Between 2002 and 2014, Cheung was involved in three legal cases: obstruction of police, unlawful assembly, and offences under the Public Order Ordinance. He was fined a total of HK$9,000 and was never sentenced to jail. He noted that when he first registered as a social worker in 2011, he already had a criminal record, but the board raised no objections or required a “reflection letter” or character references at the time. This time, however, the board requested several additional documents, including court conviction records, a letter of reflection, and character references, before ultimately rejecting his application. The inconsistency in the process has raised questions about fairness.
Cheung noted in his reflection letter that he had always adhered to the principles of “peace, rationality, and non-violence” in rallies, and that the painful legal proceedings had prompted personal thought and increased caution. Despite this, the SWRB’s letter in March referred to his past comments about not ruling out future civil disobedience, as well as his 2012 decision not to renew his registration in protest of the system, to conclude that he was not a “fit and proper person” for the profession.
A follow-up letter in April confirmed the rejection, stating that his past conduct had negatively impacted the reputation of the social work profession. The board also noted his failure to submit a written representation. In response, Cheung took to social media to publicise the incident. He expressed disappointment, but said he would continue supporting marginalised groups through church counselling and overseas engagement. “The real disappointment,” he wrote, “is that social workers today are no longer able to influence policy or resource distribution from the ground up.”
Some within the social welfare sector pointed out that previous cases of registration refusal often involved more serious criminal offences, such as drug trafficking or assault. Given that Cheung’s cases only involved fines, the requirement for a reflection letter and the eventual rejection have led to speculation that political factors were at play.
SWRB chairperson Hui Chung-shing admitted in response to media queries that Cheung’s offences were “not particularly serious,” but said his repeated disregard for the law required caution. Hui emphasised that the board had no intention of “persecuting” Cheung, and noted that he may reapply in the future. Still, many in the community worry that the registration process has shifted from professional criteria to political vetting.
Cheung is a co-founder of the LGBTQ+ rights group “Rainbow of Hong Kong”, a former standing committee member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, and a former member of the League of Social Democrats. He was elected to the Tuen Mun District Council in 2019 but lost his seat in 2021 after his oath of office was ruled invalid. In 2022, he was arrested over online comments allegedly inciting people to cast blank ballots in elections, though the charges were later dropped. His rejection from returning to the social work field adds to the perception that, in the current political climate, even returning to a professional role may not be free from systemic exclusion.