The development minister escaped the prospect of more grilling in the legislature after lawmakers voted to reject a probe into his alleged conflict of interest in government plans for the northeastern New Territories.
With the help of pro-establishment lawmakers, a motion to invoke the Legislative Council's special powers to set up an inquiry committee was vetoed 28 to 39 yesterday.
Supporters of the motion said they believed an inquiry could provide a platform for Development Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to come clean. Chan apologised again for his "bungled explanation" of the incident, but reiterated his declaration of interests had met government requirements.
"My wife, son and I have no more interests in the new-town development plan now," he said.
In July, Chan became the subject of a media exposé that found farmland owned by his family in Kwu Tung North fell within the government's new-town project.
He said his wife last year sold her stake in a company that owned the land to her younger brother for HK$2.7 million after he learned the site would be part of the redevelopment.