Leung Chun-ying's former campaign manager acknowledged yesterday that the chief executive 'may have remembered incorrectly' details about the illegal garden trellis at his luxury home on The Peak.
But Barry Cheung Chun-yuen, who is now a member of the Executive Council, says such mistakes should not damage Leung's integrity.
Cheung said the chief executive would soon provide a full explanation for what have been seen as inconsistencies in his explanations about the six unauthorised structures at his home, including the trellis.
'As it turns out, he may have remembered incorrectly,' Cheung said. 'But he didn't use it as an excuse. One should not jump to the conclusion that he has integrity problems.'
Cheung's comments were echoed yesterday by Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, suggesting that the fledgling administration may hope that admitting a mistake could help it move beyond the early controversy.
In response to a reporter's question about Leung's integrity, Lam said, 'one's memory may differ from time to time'.
Last month, Leung admitted that he built one of the two trellises identified by the Buildings Department at his HK$500 million house on Peel Rise.