CY Leung denies political influence in rejecting HKTV
24 Oct – Speculations of dirty politics are spreading like wild fire in regards to the Hong Kong government's grant of free-to-air television licenses, so much so that Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive CY Leung has stepped up to deny all rumours and insisted that there are no political reasons behind HKTV's elimination.
As reported on On CC website, Leung, who was swarmed by the media before his flight to Beijing on 22 October, stressed that the Executive Council (EXCO) followed all the rules and considered every single aspect before making the decision to grant i-Cable and PCCW with the free-to-air licenses.
He also implied that unlike the two stations, Ricky Wong's HKTV sent an aggressive business proposal that lacked sustainability in the market.
"The EXCO's evaluation is confidential. But Mr. Wong can file a judicial review and we will submit our evidence in High Court when the time comes," he said.
On the other hand, the Legislative Council also sided with the protestors and urged for the government to provide a better explanation in regards to their decision.
The Legislative Council stated, "The government should also take public's response into account. Although the Executive Council has a policy on confidentiality, the public needs to know the details."
Meanwhile, some former EXCO members blamed Leung for the decision, saying that it was the Chief Executive who made the final decision while the council only serves as advisers.
