Lee spending woes amid US sanctions

Michael Shum

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu incurred HK$9.13 million in election expenses - including purchases of three banknote counters and a safe for his campaign - out of the nearly HK$11.26 million cash donations he had received.

The remaining HK$2.13 million has been donated to the Community Chest, Lee said in a declaration submitted to the Registration and Electoral Office.

Lee declared that he bought three banknote counters for HK$9,880 and a safe for HK$4,900, which were necessary to count and keep the campaign donations made by 59 organizations.

This was due to the US sanctions imposed on Lee in 2020 - following the implementation of the national security law earlier in the same year - leaving him without access to banking and all campaign donations had to be made in cash.

Apart from the banknote counters and safe, Lee spent HK$37,000 for subscribing to a cash-in-transit service.

The amount of cash stored in the campaign office prompted Lee to spend HK$710,000 in office security. A large portion of the campaign funds went toward hosting rallies and gatherings - some HK$2.7 million in total.

One rally in particular, hosted days before the election for over 1,000 members of the Election Committee, cost HK$1.8 million.

Press conferences also did not come cheap. The one in which Lee announced his bid and another in which he revealed his manifesto had price tags of HK$321,000 and HK$518,000, respectively.

Lee spent HK$2.37 million on advertising, with HK$1.95 million of that on social media ads. Office rent and stationery were significant drains, costing him HK$2.58 million. This sum includes the HK$520,000 in rental fees for his Central Plaza office.

Among the most generous of the 59 organizations that donated are the Friends of Hong Kong Association and the Heung Yee Kuk New Territories, with each shelling out HK$300,000. Executive Council member Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung from the Business and Professionals Alliance donated HK$17,800 worth of masks in his personal capacity.

Compared with predecessor Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's 2017 campaign expenses, Lee's cost less by HK$3.47 million. It also cost less than Leung Chun-ying's 2012 campaign, which spent HK$11 million.

The Community Chest expressed its "deepest gratitude" to Lee for allowing the surplus to benefit the disadvantaged.

John Chan Cho-chak, chairman of the chest's executive committee, said: "As always, the funds, without deduction of any administration expenses, will be put to good use to support those in need."

Chan said the donation will be allocated to 24 smaller and nongovernment subvented agencies to support local social welfare services.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com