Two Top Hong Kong Ministers Resign

TWO unpopular ministers resigned within hours of each other yesterday, in a move that analysts say could take some of the heat off beleaguered Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa's administration - for now.

Security Secretary Regina Ip became the first casualty of mass discontent with the government, when Mr Tung announced her resignation at 6.45 pm. Financial Secretary Antony Leung's resignation followed at 9.30pm.

While Ms Ip will leave her post on Friday next week, Mr Leung's resignation took immediate effect.

Mr Tung and the two ministers had been the main targets of public dissatisfaction for several months.

On July 1, public wrath boiled over when half a million people took to the streets to protest against a controversial national security law and against the ineffective administration.

Ms Ip, 52, a career civil servant, was criticised for her high-handed attempts to ram through the anti-subversion legislation, which protesters fear would erode Hong Kong's freedoms.

Mr Leung, 51, a former banker, became unpopular after he bought a new Lexus just weeks before proposing hefty car tax hikes. He is also blamed for failing to resolve Hong Kong's economic problems.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Tung said that Ms Ip had tendered her resignation on personal grounds on June 25.

He said that he tried to persuade her to stay on, but 'regrettably I could not change her decision'.

Neither he nor Ms Ip mentioned whether the move was related to her handling of the anti-sedition law, which has to be enacted under Section 23 of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Ms Ip said: 'I deeply regret that the legislative work to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law to protect national security is not completed as scheduled.

'As a Chinese national and the Secretary for Security, I sincerely believe I have a responsibility to actively promote this highly important legislative task.'

Hong Kong had aimed to enact the legislation by Wednesday last week, sparking the wave of protests.

Yesterday's announcements left several questions unanswered. For one, Mr Tung did not say who would replace the two ministers.

There was also doubt about the June 25 date that Ms Ip purportedly tendered her resignation.

Mr Albert Chan, a Democratic Party lawmaker, asked: 'Why keep the news quiet for the last three weeks?'

One view is that June 25 was mentioned to avoid giving the impression that the government had bowed to the demands of protesters.

Mr Leung's resignation is believed to have been precipitated by Ms Ip's move.

Pressure on him to quit had increased since Tuesday, when the Independent Commission Against Corruption submitted its report to the Justice Department for a decision on whether there were grounds to prosecute him over 'Lexus-gate'.

Assessing the impact of the two resignations, analyst Mau Chi Wang said: 'Hong Kong now has a new beginning. The resignations help ease the political tension in the territory. But it is still a long way to restoring public confidence.'

Assistant Professor Ma Ngok, of the University of Science and Technology, said: 'Their resignations could spiral into a greater crisis of governance if other ministers decide to quit too.'

He said Mr Tung must now change his Cabinet to boost public confidence.

Before last night's developments, the Cabinet, or Executive Council, comprised 14 principal officials and four non-official appointees, excluding Mr Tung.

The Chief Executive will visit Beijing this weekend to brief Chinese leaders on the situation.