Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen will soon get a new team of spin doctors in his office, after the controversial positions were supported by pro-government lawmakers yesterday despite opposition by the democrats. Critics suspect the two new top slots will be filled by people who become aides to help the chief executive secure a second term next year, rather than helping Mr Tsang improve his governance. In a Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting, pro-government lawmakers approved the proposal by outvoting the democrats 34 to 21. A new directorate-grade-six permanent secretary in the chief executive's office, with a monthly salary of $162,650, will be created together with a directorate-grade-four information co-ordinator, who will be paid up to $149,600 a month. Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat said he could not see how adding these two posts would help Mr Tsang's governance, as former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa had had only an information co-ordinator as head of his office. 'What are these people going to do? I seriously suspect the networking they conduct will be with Mr Tsang's electorate rather than the public. Creating these positions will only help him get re-elected,' Mr Lee said. Unionist Lee Cheuk-yan said the plan was a waste of money. Meanwhile, lawmakers have also approved $123 million in funding for the East Asian Games in 2009.