A decision on whether candidates for the chief executive's post should stay clear of the selection process for the 400-member Selection Committee will be made on Thursday. Leung Chun-ying, a Preparatory Committee vice-chairman, said yesterday that the chairmen's meeting before the plenary session next week would look at any possible conflict of interest for candidates picking those who would be in a position to elect them. According to the committee's rules, the more than 5,000 Selection Committee candidates will be shortlisted to about 400 names by the chairmen before the Preparatory Committee makes the final decision. But Mr Leung emphasised that chairmen would make up the list according to the degree of representation of each candidate. Mr Leung has not been nominated to sit on the Selection Committee. But his decision was not made because of any possible conflict of interest, he said. 'If all Preparatory Committee members become Selection Committee members, the chances for those non-Preparatory Committee candidates will be greatly reduced,' he said. Mr Leung said there was a need for a system to monitor the selection process and the chairmen would see that the right people would be responsible.
