HK Chief Executive Investigated for Corruption

HK Chief Executive Investigated for Corruption

2012-02-29 11:15:53 Agencies Web Editor: Guo


File photo of HK chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen [Photo: Xinhua]

In response to suggestions of having accepted trips on private jets and entertainment aboard luxury yachts; Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, has agreed to cooperate as part of an investigation held by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Hangzhou Daily reported on Wednesday.

This is the first case in 38 years for the Commission to investigate a corruption case involving the chief executive.

According to previous reports of the Hong Kong Standard, Sing Tao News Corporation chairman Charles Ho Tsu-kwok sees no wrongdoing in his offering Donald Tsang Yam- kuen a ride back from Macau on his luxury yacht, describing the invitation as nothing more than picking up a hitchhiker.

"The yacht trip was not specifically intended for him [Tsang]. My yacht had to return [to Hong Kong] anyway," he said.

Charles Ho Tsu-kwok also explained that he had told the chief executive that he did not have to pay for the ride, but Tsang insisted on paying HK$500. Fending off claims that the amount was inappropriate, Ho said it is the standard ferry fare, Hong Kong Standard reported.

Furthermore, Ho claims not to have benefited from any type of exchange with Tsang.

As for reports regarding rival candidate Leung Chun-ying's alleged conflict of interest in the West Kowloon concept plan competition, Ho said his group's journalists worked hard to get the story and saw nothing wrong with that.

Meanwhile, Lifestyle International Holdings boss Thomas Lau Luen-hung, who was also with Tsang on the Macau trip, denied the suggestion of collusion.

However, Lau refused to comment on the private incident, saying only that most of the claims made by the Oriental Daily - which broke the news - were incorrect.

The Macau trip in question took place on February 18 and 19. Tsang and other tycoons were photographed at a banquet at a casino-resort with about 800 guests.