Critics say Finance Committee chair Ng Leung-sing is in over his head

If, as they say, a week is too long in politics, then what does that say about a gap of eight years outside the corridors of power?

For Ng Leung-sing, who quit politics for eight years before making a return two years ago, that gap seems to have left him out of touch with today's political ecology.

The gentle, low-profile banker and legislator, who chairs the Finance Committee which scrutinises government funding requests, has become engulfed in a political storm over his handling of meetings - or, more precisely, his failure to handle them.

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee of the New People's Party has publicly asked him to step down and let his deputy, Democrat Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing, chair the meetings.

Ip Kwok-him, of the pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, expressed discontent with Ng's work.

"Maybe he lacks experience in dealing with such situations. He had been a legislator before. But chairing an important meeting like the Finance Committee requires one to be familiar with the meeting rules and other meeting skills. It is a totally different experience from sitting in a member's seat and raising questions."

Ng however, did not think it was a good idea to let his deputy chair the meetings.