Under scrutiny: Secretary for Civil Service Denise Yue will review former buildings director Leung Chin-man's application for employment with New World China Land.

Former buildings director Leung Chin-man's application for employment with New World China Land will be reconsidered due to his involvement in the handling of the Hunghom Peninsula development.

This was the message today from Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue who said New World China Land was one of the subsidiaries of New World Development, a developer involved in Hunghom Peninsula.

She said the Chief Executive has asked her to consult policy bureaux again on Mr Leung's application.

The information will be submitted to the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants for further advice. Ms Yue will then re-assess the application and present a report to the Chief Executive.

Addressing the media this afternoon, she said she had not analysed the public perception of Mr Leung's relation with the development and noted the heated reaction among the press and the public to the oversight, and issued an apology.

She said it was her who approved Mr Leung's post-government employment application after considering advice from the Transport & Housing Bureau and the Development Bureau.

As Mr Leung had ceased active service with the Government for more than two years, and his proposed appointment would involve business in the Mainland only, the three bureaux did not feel the proposed appointment would constitute a conflict of interest with his former duties in the Government.

When approving the application Ms Yue also imposed restrictions in addition to the standard ones applicable to directorate civil servants.

Ms Yue said she will get on with the re-assessment work full steam and submit the report to the Chief Executive as soon as possible.