CY Leung laughs off report Beijing will offer pan-democrats HK$300m bribe to back reform

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying this morning laughed off reports suggesting Beijing could use as much as HK$300 million to bribe pan-democratic lawmakers to vote for the reform package to be scrutinised next week.

Leung, who is on a visit to Canada and the United States, was referring to a report in pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily on Thursday, which cited People Power lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip saying he had heard of rumours which pointed at Beijing’s “money tactics” in luring pan-democrats to back reform.

Chan further said he had heard some lawmakers saying the central government was willing to pay up to HK$100 million for a vote supporting the proposal.

But speaking in Chicago, Leung brushed aside the accusations as he said everyone could judge the report “based on common sense”.

“The central government is sincere and determined about universal suffrage, and it is doing it in accordance with the law, including the Basic Law … and Hong Kong’s overall and long-term interest,” he said. “The central government would not do anything to get the package passed when it was impossible to be passed.”

He also said lawmakers should “not bind themselves together” when voting on the proposal for how the city will elect its chief executive in 2017, but should vote “individually” after considering Hong Kong’s long-term interest.

Referring to the latest rolling poll conducted by three universities which found supporters and opponents of the government’s blueprint are for the first time exactly matched at 42.8 per cent, Leung said Hongkongers should not only take reference from one single poll.