It wasn't a boycott, say lawmakers as they snub CY Leung's spring reception

A spring reception hosted by the chief executive yesterday drew a lukewarm response, with many lawmakers failing to show up.

Absentees included at least four of the five Liberal Party legislators, but a party vice-chairman insisted it wasn't a boycott in response to the government's poor showing at its 20th-anniversary dinner in December.

Party leader James Tien Pei-chun - who accused Leung Chun-ying of banning his ministers from attending the dinner - did not attend the reception.

Nor did vice-chairmen Vincent Fang Kang and Felix Chung Kwok-pan. "It wasn't my first priority … and since it clashed with the reception of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association, of course I opted for the association's occasion," said Chung, who sits on the association's general committee.

Tommy Cheung Yu-yan was on a trip, while Frankie Yick Chi-ming could not be reached to confirm whether he attended.

In December, only a few undersecretaries turned up at the Liberals' anniversary dinner, which was seen by some as retaliation for the party's calls for an inquiry into the awarding of television licences.