HK Standard
Bonnie Chen and Phila Siu
Thursday, May 10, 2012 HK Standard
The positions for three key secretaries and all bureau chiefs have been filled, says Chief Executive-elect Leung Chun-ying.
Leung said his task now is to fill undersecretary positions, followed by those of political assistants.
He also said he has not started the search for non-official Executive Council members, although reports suggest that New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has been invited.
“I have to say I have not started looking for Exco’s non-official members,” he said when asked about reports the current head of his office, Fanny Law Fan Chui-fun, will become Exco convener.
Leung’s remarks come on the heels of reports that former Hospital Authority senior executive Ko Wing-man will become the new secretary for food and health, and Centre for Food Safety controller Constance Chan Hon-yee the health director.
Arthur Li Kwok-cheung is tipped to become the next Hospital Authority chairman, while Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority chairman Eddie Ng Hak-kim will become education secretary.
Meanwhile, a source said Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Standing Committee member Yu Kwok-chun may also join Exco. He currently heads the Hong Kong Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations.
His predecessor was Robin Chan Yau-hing, father of Exco member Bernard Charnwut Chan, who previously said he would not join the government or Exco. The source said the Chan family may control the federation again.
Others tipped for Exco include legislator Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, and Urban Renewal Authority chairman Barry Cheung Chun-yuen.
As for other political appointees, 30SGroup convener Laurence Li Lu-jen is expected to be one of the undersecretaries. The barrister threw his support behind Leung during his election campaign.
Li said he needs time to digest the information.