Antony Leung Kam-chung said yesterday he would step down as Finance Chief if the people of Hong Kong thought he was not doing a good job.
But he said it was unfair for the public to blame the Government for the economic downturn and said people should unite to build a better future.
Speaking during a Metro Radio phone-in programme, Mr Leung said he would quit if he lost public support. 'The most important thing is whether what I do is good or bad. If the public says 'Ah Chung' is not doing well, or Mr Tung [Chee-hwa, the Chief Executive] says 'Ah Chung' is not doing well, I would be the first one to disappear,' he said, referring to himself by his nickname.
It was the first time, since taking over the finance portfolio, that Mr Leung has spoken about the circumstances under which he would resign. He succeeded Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in May. Mr Leung's statement also appeared to be in line with a proposed accountability system that would make policy chiefs and bureau heads more responsible for their decisions.
It also followed calls from the public and legislators for the Chief Executive to step down or not seek re-election. This followed Wednesday's Policy Address, which was criticised for not offering enough help to the people. Mr Tung said he would stay on and not 'irresponsibly' hand out money to curry public favour.
During a second show, on Commercial Radio, host Albert Cheng King-hon also criticised Mr Leung and other senior officials. He said the SAR's economy might worsen in the coming year if officials did not perform better. Mr Leung, however, said the Government was not to blame.
