Carrie Lam admits lobbying by Beijing liaison office in Hong Kong leadership race ‘may not work in her favour’
Chief executive race candidate also says it may create negative perception among public for her campaign
The front runner in Hong Kong’s chief executive race, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, has for the first time admitted that the lobbying by Beijing’s liaison office for her campaign is “not favourable” to her and may create a negative public perception.
Speaking on a radio show on Saturday, the former chief secretary was again asked how she felt after a number of Beijing loyalists had indicated she was the preferred choice.
Lam said it was understandable the central government was concerned about the election, “but if people feel more and more there is an external force helping, it may not be the most favourable to the candidate”.
The Post reported last week that Hong Kong’s richest man, Li Ka-shing, and his two sons were persuaded by Beijing’s No 3 man Zhang Dejiang over a meal last month to vote for Lam on March 26. Younger son Richard Li Tzar-kai told the press last week he would vote for Lam.
Lam said she did not know what exactly mainland officials had been doing or saying to Election Committee members, but she did hear from some and learnt from reports that “the situation certainly existed”.
Asked to comment on Lam’s remark about Beijing lobbying, her staunch rival John Tsang Chun-wah said he believed voters would choose according to their views and conscience.
The third person in the race, Woo Kwok-hing, said if a candidate felt Beijing’s lobbying was not right, he or she, if elected, should legislate for Article 22 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong to forbid mainland officials from interfering in Hong Kong affairs.
Meanwhile, Tsang pedalled to the four neighbourhoods of Tsuen Wan, Tai Wai, Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui on Saturday, greeted by crowds along the way and posing for selfies with supporters.
Lam apologised for cancelling a trip to meet bazaar hawkers in Tin Shui Wai, after her campaign team told the media she was “too tired” to go. Lam said there was a miscommunication over the appointment time and she would go there to discuss bazaar policy with them next week.
Lam also dismissed an accusation that she had refused to cooperate with then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to boost land supply.
In an anonymous letter published in Apple Daily on Saturday, a “senior government official” claimed that Lam, who was then development minister, had refused to submit a list of developable land for public housing to Tsang and should therefore be held responsible for high land prices today.
Lam said the claims were “groundless fabrications”.
