Veteran Beijing loyalist Tsang Yok-sing, elected Legislative Council president yesterday, may be pressed by his own party to disclose whether he is a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
This follows refusals by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker to say whether he is a member.
DAB vice-chairman Lau Kong-wah agreed that increasing public pressure for disclosure of Mr Tsang's background must be addressed, and said his party would discuss the matter at a meeting later.
'The public certainly has an interest in knowing whether Tsang Yok-sing is a Communist Party member,' Mr Lau said after Mr Tsang's widely expected election.
'If people say that he has to be more forthcoming in the matter because he has become Legco president, then I think he has to listen.'
Mr Lau did not know whether the DAB would allow dual membership.
At the first meeting of the new legislature, 36 of the 60 legislators voted for Mr Tsang in a secret ballot against 24 for the Democrats' Fred Li Wah-ming. After his election, Mr Tsang said: 'I will bear in mind the expectations, concerns and requests of fellow members. I will try my best not to let down those who have supported me, and strive to win the trust of the rest.'