As Leung Chun-ying braved his second town-hall meeting yesterday, his new set-up remained shrouded in uncertainty - with Executive Council convenor Lam Woon-kwong still pondering his future and the development minister refusing to explain his alleged abuse of the civil service rental allowance in the 1980s.
Lam said he needed a few more days to consider whether to resign from Exco in the face of criticism about his new position conflicting with his role as chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
'I still stand by my initial judgment, but I heard there are opposing voices,' Lam told a radio show yesterday. 'To respect them and allow discussion among society, especially NGOs working with the commission, I need a few more days before making an objective decision and reviewing whether my initial judgment was careless.'
Insisting he could handle the two roles without fear of compromise, he added: 'Conflict of interest won't occur as the two organisations are both for the public's own interest.'
Fellow Exco member Barry Cheung Chun-yuen, who is also chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority, believed Lam would not resign from Leung's cabinet.
'I don't think the two roles are conflicting. I personally think that Lam's participation will increase the significance of the Equal Opportunities Commission's work,' Cheung said.