Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying still holds five properties in Hong Kong and Singapore, the annual update of the declarations of interests of high level government officials showed.
On the other hand, newly appointed Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah and Secretary for the Civil Service Clement Cheung Wan-ching both declared that they did not own property, nor were they directors of companies.
The declaration of interest report is updated annually, and concerns all members of the Executive Council.
The Executive Council comprises of official members, who are the heads of government bureaux, and non-official members who are appointed by the chief executive.
Leung declared ownership of two residential properties in Singapore, located on Coronation Road West and River Valley Road. The declarations were the same as previous ones when he took office in 2012.
He also owns three residential properties in Hong Kong with his wife, including two vacant adjacent units on the Peak and one in the Southern District. Leung’s wife, Leung Tong ching-yee, solely owns two residential properties in the UK.
Leung had business ties with Singaporean corporations, built prior to him becoming chief executive.
He was the chairman of property management giant DTZ Debenham Tie Leung Ltd, which has a branch in Singapore. In 1999, DTZ acquired Leung’s accounting company CY Leung & Co.
He transferred his shares of Wintrack Worldwide (BVI) as well as DTZ Holdings Plc plus their subsidiaries to a trust. His wife is the beneficiary of the trust.
Local media previously claimed Leung had unusual contact with a Discovery Bay developer, which has ties with DTZ.
Leung was also a member of board of directors of DBS Group Holdings, a member of the board of Ascendas Group, and an independent director of Keppel Corporation, until he ran for office. DBS, Keppel and Ascendas are three large financial, infrastructure and property corporations based in Singapore.
Leung resides at Government House, the official residence of the chief executive of Hong Kong.
On Tuesday, Leung said Singaporeans wished they had a business magnate like Li Ka-shing, despite opposing views by the country’s late prime minister.
In an interview with Xinhua, Leung said, “People from Singapore [have] often told me that they envy Hong Kong having many successful businessmen, such as Mr. Li Ka-shing. I told them that Hong Kong also has many medium-and-small companies which have achieved success overseas.”
