Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has said that he was not involved in an incident whereby he allegedly exercised his privileges to help his daughter bypass airport security rules.
Leung was speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday: “The matter of handling luggage was decided by security personnel and airline staff members, it was not decided by [Leung] Chun-yan, or me, or anyone else.”
Earlier reports by Apple Daily stated that Leung Chung-yan, his youngest daughter, accidentally left her carry-on luggage behind when entering a restricted zone on March 28. The reports also said she had called her father for help, who told staffers to “Call me Chief Executive Leung” when asking for the luggage be retrieved.
A statement from Leung last Thursday said his daughter did not ask for his help, but Leung did call her to say goodbye and knew of the matter. He talked to airline staff through her phone regarding the arrangements for claiming missing luggage.
He denied exercising any privilege or requesting anyone to address him by his title.
His wife Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee and his daughter Leung Chung-yan later released a joint statement saying that Leung Chung-yan did not ask him for help, and denied that she mentioned that she was the Chief Executive’s daughter. She also rejected the claim that he exercised his privileges to retrieve the luggage or pressured anyone.
Sovereignty a ‘serious matter’
Leung also talked about a recent movement calling for a referendum on Hong Kong’s future after 2047. The referendum may include an option calling for Hong Kong’s independence.
“We know that the Basic Law has stated in the first and foremost article, that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the country,” Leung said. “This fact, this arrangement is without any time limit.”
“The sovereignty of a country and its territorial integrity are a serious matter, we must talk about it clearly to young people,” he added.
