Suggestions from the committee on review of post-service outside work for directorate civil servants are not meant to exploit civil servants' rights to seek employment, committee chairman Ronald Arculli says.

Speaking on two separate radio talk shows today, Mr Arculli said the recommendations aim to strengthen the existing control regime and to mitigate public suspicion or perception of impropriety in a directorate civil servant's post-service outside work.

He said the committee was not treating civil servants as "thieves" and was not trying to exploit their rights to seek employment after they have left the service. However, there should be appropriate amount of control.

A total ban on post-service employment would arouse legal controversies, he said, and even though civil servants enjoy retirement pensions, that is not equal to a "buyout" of their rights to seek employment elsewhere.

He emphasised that the public interest should take precedence over the protection of an individual's interest.

He admits the recommendations may not be able to completely stop misconduct concerning a directorate civil servant's post-service outside work, but prosecution is possible under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.