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Chris Yeung

LEUNG CHUN-YING, the high-flier named as a candidate for chief executive, yesterday ruled himself out of contention for both the top post and the deputy's.

He said he would not accept any nomination to head the Special Administrative Region (SAR), referring to remarks by top China adviser Dr Ann Tse-kai recommending him as an ideal chief executive.

Mr Leung said the debate over who should be chief executive should not be turned into a contest of personalities.

Instead, the community should be discussing and deciding the most essential prerequisites for a chief executive who will lead the first Special Administrative Region in China practising the concept of 'one country, two systems'.

Mr Leung said: 'I'm not a candidate for the job of the chief executive. It's not a job I would consider. Thanks to Dr Ann for his suggestion. Dr Ann knows my view.

'I am a chartered surveyor. You are journalists. We cannot swap jobs. It's not a question of who is more capable and which job is easier.

'Everyone has his own career,' said Mr Leung, who started his own property company a few years ago.

'I won't become the first or the second chief executive. Nor will I become his deputy.' Mr Leung and Dr Ann are vice-chairmen of the Preparatory Committee. Another vice-chairman, Henry Fok Ying-tung, has lent his support to shipping tycoon Tung Chee-hwa for the chief executive post.

'I have no favoured choice in my mind. Mr Tung has yet to make known his views. Before that, it would be unfair to discuss it,' Mr Leung said, although he admitted the selection was an important event for the community.

'Of course, they can and should talk about it, especially after the Selection Committee is formed.' Although the Basic Law states clearly the powers and duties of the chief executive, there is room for him to elaborate, through practice, on the future relationship between the SAR, the central Government and the mainland.

'We should think about what kind of leader we want, for instance, whether he should be a confrontational figure,' he said.

Mr Leung, who has close connections with mainland municipal authorities such as Shanghai, indicated the future SAR chief should have a deep understanding of China.

This would help the SAR grasp opportunities for its future development as China intensified its open policy, he said.

Mr Leung was adamant the requirements for the first chief executive would be quite different from that for the third, beginning in 2007.

The community should also focus on how the 400-member Selection Committee should be chosen, he said.

'Each sector will be able to participate in the formation of the committee. They should not give up the chance,' Mr Leung said.

Committee member and former senior executive councillor Sir Sze-yuen Chung, also tipped as a contender, said the public should not get overly excited over the dozens of potential candidates.

He side-stepped a question about whether he would consider any offer, adding: 'I have not been recommended.' Louis Cha, the former Ming Pao chairman, said Mr Tung and Mr Leung were good candidates, but added he had not seriously considered who was better.

Property tycoon Cheng Yu-tung said Mr Tung and Chief Secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang were equally acceptable.

'I won't talk about my choice publicly. It depends on the final candidates. Whether he comes from the business sector or the Government does not matter.

'It would be better if he has fewer conflict of business interest,' Mr Cheng said.

Chan Wing-kee, a local deputy of the National People's Congress, said the chief executive should be able to balance the interests of different sectors.

It was also important that he was 'predictable' in his deeds and words when handling issues, he said, adding that would put the minds of both China and Hong Kong people at ease over the leader.



High-flier Leung rules himself out of SAR race