The chief executive's decision to create an independent committee to review the code of conduct for top politicians will put more pressure on the two leading candidates vying to be his successor to state their positions on disclosure laws.
Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's announcement of a review came as more details emerged of the property portfolios owned by Henry Tang Ying-yen and Leung Chun-ying.
Critics have long complained that the specific details of properties owned by members of the Executive Council members can be hidden behind a tangle of paperwork, with ownership of land and property transferred to companies which may be registered in other countries.
There are concerns that the declarations do not reflect the full extent of the property portfolios of some Exco members.
The last few weeks has seen the city's political landscape rocked by scandals involving conflicts of interest and disclosures by senior officials, bolstering calls by critics for a more transparent system. 'Using companies that hide property ownership should not be permitted,' said Benson Wong Wai-kwok, associate professor of political science at Baptist University, who wants a more detailed and stricter process.
In their most recent declaration of registrable interests submitted to the Executive Council, Tang and Leung listed several properties.