Motion to impeach Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying over intervention in UGL probe defeated after nine-hour debate

A political storm erupted last month after Leung Chun-ying admitted he asked lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding to amend document relating to probe into HK$50 million payment from Australian engineering firm UGL

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Leung Chun-ying received HK$50 million from UGL after his election as chief executive in 2012 but did not declare it to his cabinet. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 1:44pm, 8 Jun 2017Updated: 12:39am, 9 Jun 2017

A motion to begin impeachment proceedings against Hong Kong’s outgoing leader Leung Chun-ying for intervening in a legislative probe into his past business dealings was defeated by lawmakers on Thursday.

After a nine-hour debate that started on Wednesday, 28 lawmakers from the pan-democratic camp voted in support of the motion, while 34 lawmakers from the pro-establishment camp opposed it.

The motion was initiated by 28 pan-democratic lawmakers last month and tabled by Civic Party leader Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu on Wednesday.

The pan-democrats charged that Leung Chun-ying was in contempt of the Legislative Council by improperly intervening with its affairs in dereliction of his constitutional duty. Photo: Sam Tsang

It was revealed in 2014 that Leung, whose five-year term as chief executive ends on June 30, had made a non-compete, non-poach deal with Australian engineering firm UGL, which in 2011 purchased DTZ, an insolvent property firm of which he was a director.

As part of the agreement, Leung received HK$50 million from UGL after his election as chief executive in 2012 but did not declare it to his cabinet.