We will deal with ICAC spending row, says CY Leung

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said yesterday he was "serious" about allegations against former chief graft-buster Timothy Tong Hin-ming, but any decision on what to do would await the outcome of an internal investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Leung was making his first direct remarks about the allegations since they surfaced two weeks ago. The comments also came as former ICAC officers released a petition calling for Tong answer them in public.

Despite his declaration of seriousness the chief executive was accused of trivialising the issue by declaring that his was a clean government whose officials did not wear flowers in their buttonholes or drink bottled water at meetings.

Tong, reported to have hosted more than 20 lavish meals for top office-holders from the central government's liaison office, also used the public purse to pay for expensive presents to mainland officials, including cookies and mooncakes worth more than HK$48,000. The sum was not included in HK$220,000 the ICAC had earlier told the Legislative Council that Tong had spent on gifts in his tenure. Leung said that when the ICAC finished its internal investigation, "certainly there will be a decision on whether there is a need to handle the matter solemnly and comprehensively. [We] will report to the public when a decision is made".

He said a clean government had been "our strong focus".

"We do not wear boutonnière at public events. We also try our best not to conduct gift exchanges with visiting guests ... tap water, not bottled water, is used during all meetings."