Leung Chin-man
Leung Chin-man | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 22, 1945 Hong Kong |
| Occupation | Government official |
| Years active | 1966–2007 |
| Known for | Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands; Director of Buildings; controversies involving property developments in Hong Kong |
Leung Chin-man JP (, born 22 November 1945) is a former high-ranking official within the Government of Hong Kong and previously held the position of Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands.
Public service career
Leung began his career with the Immigration Department in October 1966 before transferring to the Administrative Service in October 1976. His roles included Director of Community Relations at the ICAC from 1988 to 1991, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs between 1991 and 1994, and Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto in 1994. After returning to Hong Kong, he served as Deputy Secretary for Housing from 1997 to 1999 and then as Director of Buildings until 2002. In July 2002, he was appointed Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Housing).
Leung took a leave of absence from his civil service duties in November 2005, ended active service by January 2006, and formally retired in January 2007. On 1 July 2007, he was named a Justice of the Peace. Following retirement, Leung accepted directorship roles at mainland-based Fineland Real Estate Holding and PuraPharm International HK.
Hung Hom Peninsula housing project
During his tenure as Director of Housing, Leung managed the sale of a dormant Private Sector Participation Scheme development. The Hung Hom Peninsula site was transferred to New World Development (NWD) at a premium of HK$864 million, below market value; NWD later sold half its stake to Sun Hung Kai Properties. In 2004, the consortium proposed demolishing the existing buildings to build luxury apartments, provoking public criticism over demolishing structurally sound buildings driven by "corporate greed." Facing widespread opposition, the developers abandoned demolition plans by December 2004.
Grand Promenade development
In 2001, Henderson Land Development secured a tender for a Sai Wan Ho plot designated for the Grand Promenade project with a land premium of HK$2.43 billion. Six months afterward, approval was granted to exclude the public transport terminus from gross floor area calculations. This exemption authorized an additional 10,700 square meters and effectively doubled apartment units from 1,008 to 2,020, resulting in an estimated HK$125 million loss in government revenue. A 2005 Audit Commission report criticized Leung for exercising discretionary authority without interdepartmental consultation, which effectively conferred HK$3.2 billion in extra revenue to the developer for a mere HK$6 million premium. Leung initiated a judicial review; however, both parties reached an out-of-court settlement in 2006, leading to withdrawal of legal action. The government faced backlash for dropping the case.
Appointment after civil service
In July 2008, Leung assumed the roles of deputy managing director and executive director at New World China Land, a subsidiary under NWD. Following a mandatory 12-month 'sterilisation period' after retirement, he submitted an application on 9 May seeking government consent to join the company. The appointment received approval from the Secretary for the Civil Service, Denise Yue Chung-yee, after vetting procedures.
The decision sparked public controversy amid allegations that this employment represented a quid pro quo linked to favours Leung purportedly extended to NWD in 2004. Concerns centered on conflicts of interest and criticism over the vetting committee’s apparent disregard when endorsing his HK$3.12 million annual salary less than two years post-retirement. New World stated that it hired Leung based on legitimate government clearance.
On 15 August, the Civil Service Bureau acknowledged it had failed to factor in Leung's role in the Hung Hom Peninsula transaction during approval processes. Subsequently, Donald Tsang called for a reassessment and formal report.
Early on 16 August, NWD announced that Leung had resigned from his position. Leung expressed surprise that officials neglected his involvement in the Hung Hom sale during vetting and declined any compensation related to what he termed "inappropriate handling." The Secretary for the Civil Service issued an apology for procedural errors and recognized significant harm caused to the Civil Service Bureau’s reputation.