Tung touted for DAB advisory role
Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa may be invited to become an adviser to Hong Kong's biggest pro-Beijing party later this year.
The Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong revealed yesterday that Mr Tung was planning to adopt a more active public life around September.
Party vice-chairman Tam Yiu-chung said Mr Tung could be given an advisory role after the party had cleared all procedures for its merger with the Hong Kong Progressive Alliance in the summer.
The appointment would be Mr Tung's first political portfolio since being named a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference after resigning as chief executive in March.
Mr Tung's status as a former leader would provide a significant boost to the new DAB's credentials.
However, the Democratic Party said former chief executives should not play any further role in politics to avoid creating the impression they favoured a certain party while in office.
Democratic legislator Cheung Man-kwong warned former chief executives could create a conflict of interest if they became advisers to business-affiliated parties.
'Until the chief executive can have party affiliation, his post-office role should be depoliticised to avoid suspicion that anything he did during the tenure could be seen as paving his way for a second political career,' Mr Cheung said.
Mr Tung, who is not bound by any legal restrictions, has publicly pledged he will not engage in any activities that could constitute a conflict of interest.
A government-appointed commission is studying the restrictions to be placed on former chief executives, as well as the support that should be extended to them.
It is understood that the commission does not plan to recommend restrictions on political activities but will propose regulations to guard against conflicts of interest arising from commercial dealings.
Mr Tam confirmed the new DAB planned to appoint a fresh batch of advisers to strengthen its future operations. Local National People's Congress deputy Ng Hong-mun is currently the party's only adviser.
Mr Tam stressed the party had yet to approach Mr Tung, saying all appointments would first have to be formally vetted at the central level.
He rejected claims that a party advisory role for Mr Tung would constitute a conflict of interest due to the former leader's position as a vice-chairman of the CPPCC.
Mr Tam quoted Mr Tung as saying he would take a short break in the United States before becoming politically active again around September.
But he said the former chief executive did not elaborate.
