Pressure is mounting on Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to disclose all details of his non-official travel after he admitted taking trips on two private jets and two private yachts during his seven years in office.
Tsang said he had reimbursed his tycoon friends 'at the market price' each time. He dismissed allegations of a conflict of interest - explanations that have failed to appease his critics.
Lawmakers are demanding tighter anti-bribery controls over the chief executive and a full account of his private holidays with tycoons, including full disclosure of any payments made or received.
Tsang called an RTHK radio programme yesterday and confirmed a report that he had enjoyed two holiday trips on private jets and two others on yachts during his seven years in office, including the latest to Phuket and Macau.
But his office did not respond to a request from the South China Morning Post for further details of the excursions.
'I must make sure there is no conflict of interest before taking up any offer for such a trip,' Tsang said on the RTHK programme. 'And I always pay for the trip at the market price, even though this may give an impression of being petty-minded'.