bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

FANNY W. Y. FUNG

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has defended his deputy's firm rebuttal of district councillors' protests over lead in water, criticising as "abnormal" and "improper" their pressuring government officials into drinking possibly contaminated water.
Hong Kong's top leader yesterday echoed Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's stance, delivered in a staunch speech a day earlier.
In her remarks, Lam told the Legislative Council about an internal instruction she had issued, telling officials to "safeguard the government's dignity" and not to "accept humiliation".
They should decline requests from district councillors who tried to goad them at public events into drinking water from affected buildings since excessive lead was found in residential estates in July, she said on Friday.
Leung responded to a question about Lam's speech upon his return from Israel and Britain.

"Various departments have worked day and night together to solve this problem," he said.
"This includes the provision of a temporary water supply and bottled water. Our colleagues even deliver water to the homes of those who are unfit to walk.
"If residents and their representatives find there is anything else the government should do, we would be happy to consider it. We should be constructive … Pressuring officials into drinking water, especially that which they claim contains lead, is not the normal and proper thing to do."
Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man expressed sympathy for both residents and civil servants. "Some unfortunate incidents did happen … Everyone can express their views but they must respect others."
Development minister Paul Chan Mo-po, whose ambit includes the Water Supplies Department, said he agreed with Lam and that her speech represented the government's stance.
Home affairs minister Lau Kong-wah distanced himself from the issue, saying, "I shall not comment on the work of other bureaus."


As Hong Kong prepares for Legco polls, a lesson from the lead-in-water scandal

Drinking water at Hong Kong building found to contain elevated levels of lead

Hong Kong subcontractors cleared of perjury charge linked to 2015 inquiry into lead-tainted water

Why taking back land from Hong Kong Golf Club for housing is a red herring

Hong Kong's tainted water scare

Dignity at stake, Hong Kong chief executive says in backing Carrie Lam's order that officials not be goaded into drinking lead-tainted water

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying echoed Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's stance, delivered in a staunch speech a day earlier. Photo: Dickson Lee

Carrie Lam accused pan-democrats of politicising the lead-in-water scandal. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Carrie Lam orders officials not to drink water samples at lead-tainted estates to 'safeguard dignity'

Carrie Lam said it was an issue of dignity. Photo: Edward Wong

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment