Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying yesterday said he had 'no plans' to put forward legislation for a national security law.
In his first exclusive interview since taking the office, Leung was asked by RTHK whether implementing Article 23 of the Basic Law - which triggered widespread public opposition and was a major cause of the 500,000-strong protest march on July 1, 2003 - was on his agenda during his term.
'I have never actively put forward Article 23 as my platform', Leung said yesterday.
'What I have laid out is to resolve our most pressing issues, such as the housing problem, poverty and the economic situation.'
Asked whether implementing Article 23 would become one of his tasks eventually, Leung simply replied: 'My job is to solve the problems mentioned above, and it is not going to be easy.'
When Leung was elected chief executive on March 25, he said he would strive for consensus on legislating Article 23. At the time, he did not rule out launching a consultation on reviving the controversial national security legislation soon after beginning his term on Sunday.