【明報專訊】TO get citizens' votes, populist politicians often try to endear themselves to them at the expense of the taxpayer. Government officials used to disapprove of such behaviour. However, after the Housing Authority had decided to raise public housing rent under the new rent adjustment mechanism (under which rent may go up or come down), the government suggested on its own initiative to its subsidised housing committee that a month's rent be waived in the next two years to offset the rise. The political atmosphere being as it is, can the committee not dance to the government's baton? In our view, the move would virtually make the mechanism exist in name only. The government will fuel populism if it uses public resources to curry favour with public housing tenants. What social policy will Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang pursue in the two-year remainder of his term? Where he intends to lead Hong Kong? These are indeed matters of concern.