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Ambrose Leung

Jimmy Cheung

A university chief, a prominent environmental consultant, a pro-Beijing physician and a financial expert have emerged as the major new players in Mr Tung's cabinet.

Chinese University vice-chancellor Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, 56, is no surprise for the post of secretary for education and manpower.

He earned his doctorate in surgery at Cambridge in 1981 and became the Foundation Chair of Surgery at Chinese University in 1982. In 1992 he was made department dean and in 1996 defeated 29 rivals to become vice-chancellor. He is a local delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and was a member of the Selection Committee for the first chief executive.

Dr Sarah Liao Sau-tung, the new minister in charge of the environment, works and transport, rose to prominence when she became the mainland's environment ambassador in its bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

Analysts said her role in the successful bid impressed Mr Tung and Beijing.

Currently the managing director of CH2M Hill (China), part of a US-based environmental engineering firm, Dr Liao has been criticised for a possible conflict of interest for conducting a report on indoor air quality in 1999 commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department.

Dr Liao, the former managing director of EHS Consultants, which conducted the $10 million study, had also acted as a paid consultant for the Philip Morris cigarette company.

She was accused of playing down the harmful effects of passive smoking to derail legislation to prohibit indoor smoking. The Department of Justice later found there was no conflict of interest.

Despite the claims, most green groups have welcomed Dr Liao's appointment and believe her past experience will help foster cross-border efforts to combat air pollution.

Patrick Ho Chi-ping - the secretary for home affairs - is widely seen as the most controversial figure in Mr Tung's cabinet. Appointed head of the Arts Development Council in July 2000, Dr Ho made headlines in February when he said the council should not feed lazy people like an alms-giving institution.

The provocative remarks prompted the arts community to take the unprecedented step of running a full-page newspaper advert demanding an apology.

With his political skills have yet to be proven, critics say Dr Ho's appointment has raised more doubts than assurances that he is the right man for the job. The 52-year-old eye specialist was professor of ophthalmology at the Chinese University in the 1980s, after which he worked in the private sector. He is also a CPPCC member.

Frederick Ma Si-hang is widely regarded as a high-flyer with a rich network of contacts in local and mainland finance circles. While few doubt his sound financial credentials, there might be doubts that his new job as secretary for financial services and the treasury might pose a potential source of conflict of interests.

As executive director of Richard Li Tzar-kai's Pacific Century CyberWorks since May last year, Mr Ma's links with the Li family business have already aroused concern among Democrats and other critics.

As the man behind the PCCW redundancies in March, when more than 800 employees lost their jobs, the 50-year-old executive is bound to raise concerns that the civil service will have to brace for more cost-cutting measures after he becomes head of the public coffers.

Mr Ma, who studied at the University of Hong Kong, started his career as a credit analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank and was later posted to the United States and Canada.

He enjoys cordial relations with the most powerful people in Hong Kong, including Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung, who was his former university classmate and a colleague at JP Morgan Chase.

Formerly executive director of Kumagai Gumi (HK), Mr Ma and his company won the personal backing of Premier Zhu Rongji in the development of Yangpu economic zone in Hainan in 1993.

His relations with Executive Council convenor Leung Chun-ying date back to the early 1990s when the Japanese construction and property giant led by Mr Ma had commissioned Mr Leung's company to manage several commercial-residential complexes, including the Sky Central Plaza in Guangzhou and Shun Hing Square in Shenzhen.



Newcomers no strangers to controversy