New World China Land launched an accusation of conflict of interest against Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong Ka-wah yesterday, but was challenged over whether any such conflict had actually occurred.
Lawyers for company chairman Henry Cheng Kar-shun demanded this 'serious matter' be investigated by the Legislative Council select committee studying the company's employment of former housing director Leung Chin-man.
But Tong said he did not see that a declaration of interest was necessary.
'We have no subordinate relations and I am not an employee of the company,' he said. 'Why is there a conflict of interest?'
On Tuesday, during a break in an inquiry hearing at which Cheng testified, Tong told the press that he had represented the company in a legal challenge against the government two decades ago.
In a letter to the inquiry's chairwoman dated yesterday, lawyers for Cheng said Tong's explanation of the alleged conflict was 'untrue'.