Embattled chief executive candidate Henry Tang Ying-yen said yesterday he had appointed an 'authorised person' to act on his and his wife's behalf in dealing with illegal structures at their home. But he refused to respond to many of the unanswered questions fuelling the row.
'Once the demolition is completed, I will give a full account to the public,' Tang said at a briefing on his election platform.
He ignored questions about an illegal storage space in his basement as he read out a statement highlighting his 'undeniable responsibility' and 'negligence'.
He also declared that there was absolutely no question of 'submitting false building plans' - as had been suggested by some reports in the Chinese-language media - to cover up the illegal works.
Since the illegal works were exposed on Monday, Tang has been unable to offer a clear timeline on their construction, including whether it was his wife, Lisa Kuo Yu-chin, who had commissioned them.
He was also unclear on when he had hired a consultant to inspect his properties for unapproved works after senior officials were told in May last year to check their properties amid a crackdown to enforce building regulations.
Tang ignored a request to open up his properties for inspection by the media, saying only that his representatives would deal with the Buildings Department directly on his behalf.