Donation from Jimmy Lai was transferred to Labour Party this week, says Lee Cheuk-yan
A HK$1.5 million gift was not personal, Labour Party's Lee Cheuk-yan insists
A lawmaker says he has transferred a media mogul's HK$500,000 donation from his personal bank account to that of his Labour Party to fund a food-waste recycling initiative.
Lee Cheuk-yan made the transfer just days ago, though he confirmed having received the money from Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in autumn, as records leaked to the media had indicated.
Lee dismissed criticism that his belated action was intended as a "remedy" after news broke last week that he accepted donations totalling HK$1.5 million from Lai without declaring them to the Legislative Council.
He said yesterday he could not move the money sooner because the registration process for the enterprise had been delayed.
"We had thought the enterprise could be set up under the Societies Ordinance in January, but the registration was done only in June, after rounds of dealing with police," Lee told RTHK.
A police spokesman confirmed it received an application for the registration of the group, Green Initiative, in January. It was registered as a society on June 18, after organisers provided the necessary documents.
Lee said the enterprise's own bank account would not be ready for a couple of weeks.