Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong hits back at claims developers hindered Leung Chun-ying

Sun Hung Kai Properties' co-chairman Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong yesterday said neither his company nor other real estate developers he knew of had ever affected the government's policymaking.

Kwok's comments came as pro-Beijing political heavyweight Maria Tam Wai-chu said in a radio interview yesterday morning that Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's efforts since taking office might have been hampered by local tycoons.

"[Leung] has been working hard to tackle some of the long-standing problems we have, but his attempts to boost land supply might have offended some big businesses," Tam said.

"If you're constrained from doing anything, there's no way to show your ability."

Tam added that Leung's critics are finding other reasons to attack him now that they can no longer accuse the government of colluding with land developers.

At a charity event yesterday afternoon, Kwok described Tam's comments as "very unfair" and quoted another tycoon, Li Ka-shing, who said it was implausible that land developers could influence the government.