Sugar-coated words soften Budget blows

SINCE LEAVING THE private sector to become Financial Secretary, Antony Leung Kam-chung has carefully tiptoed his way along the corridors of power.

He brought no outsiders into his private office and made efforts to strike a good relationship with his new civil service colleagues. He also followed in the footsteps of his predecessor Donald Tsang Yam-kuen by mingling with the media, appearing on radio phone-in programmes and meeting the people.

But in his maiden budget on Wednesday, Mr Leung displayed his true colours, revealing his personal style, political skills and economic philosophy.

The decision not to choose a title for the budget, or a colour - both have been used in the past to convey a political message - were among the calculated touches which show how different Mr Leung's approach is to that adopted by Mr Tsang.

And in the concluding remarks of the 108-paragraph blueprint, Mr Leung made no attempt to reinforce the key points, as his predecessors were accustomed to doing. Instead, he recalled the days of water rationing, and of families earning extra dollars by assembling plastic flowers and putting stickers on toys. He finished his speech by quoting lyrics from the theme song of an RTHK drama series in a bid to sell his image and beliefs subtly.

Born in Hong Kong to a low-income family, Mr Leung has worked to reach his present position of power. He sought to illustrate how Hong Kong people have a collective memory to share by referring to the lyrics from the TV series Under the Lion Rock.