It sounds undiplomatic, but speaking at a media session on a report about better air quality, the head of a government-appointed panel on sustainable development declined a request from a radio journalist for a formal interview.
'I don't want to talk any more,' said Edgar Cheng Wai-kin. 'It's been almost two years since we launched a public engagement exercise on better air quality. People want to see action.'
Dr Cheng, who chairs the Council for Sustainable Development, has good reason to feel concerned about whether the government and community can walk the walk after the prolonged debate on how to clean our foul air.
Kicking off a session with senior journalists on Friday, which followed a separate session with environment-beat reporters on Thursday, he made it clear that the Council's Report on Better Air Quality Process deserved better media coverage.
The report, submitted to the government about 10 days ago, was publicised in a brief despatch by the Information Services Department. Officials gave no immediate response. Media coverage was scant.
The government's cool treatment of the report reflects a sense of caution among officials. They are wary of raising expectations about an early implementation of the proposals contained in the document.
This is simply because ideas such as an electronic road-pricing system, a new alert system on high air pollution days and subsidising the upgrading of buses to the latest Euro vehicle standards are bound to trigger yet more heated debate.