Ex-leader Tung Chee-hwa to keep things at arm’s length after causing stir by hugging favourite for top Hong Kong job
Carrie Lam says the elder statesman is keen to avoid speculation he may be bestowing Beijing’s favour on a particular candidate
Lam, who quit as chief secretary last week, revealed his new hands-off approach on Wednesday. Her rival Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee also said Tung had embraced her in the past.
But Lam dismissed such talk and said it was merely the “usual practice” between her and Tung.
“He would hug me every time we meet. But now he told me ‘I’m not hugging you as it has raised so much speculation’,” Lam said.
She said she had been in regular contact with Tung for some time.
“We would meet up for tea and chats occasionally and talk about state affairs or Sino-American relations,” she said.
But she admitted that Tung did contact her after she announced last month that she would reconsider whether to run for election.
“He asked me to think about it seriously as it was for the sake of Hong Kong,” she said.
Executive councillor Bernard Chan, now Lam’s campaign office chief, was among others who had contacted Lam directly and encouraged her to run.
“Ip might have faced pressure or felt wronged at some point and simply expressed her emotions. I think this is natural,” Lam said, adding that Ip was also an accountable person and had done much for the public.
