Cybersecurity fears put paid to Exco meet

The confidential Executive Council meeting yesterday could not be held virtually with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu because of cybersecurity concerns, Exco member Ronny Tong Ka-wah said.

Lee, who had a low-grade fever and sore throat after testing positive for Covid at the airport on Sunday night following his work trip to Thailand, has been working from home since Monday.

He may be allowed to leave home after testing negative consecutively on days six and seven on rapid antigen tests.

However, as Lee is not on sick leave he can still perform his duties, and there is no need to appoint Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki to act on his behalf, Tong said yesterday.

"According to the Basic Law, unless the chief executive is on leave or is feeling unwell and cannot carry out his duties, an acting appointment cannot be made for the next official on the line," he said, adding that most people infected with Covid just stayed at home and did not need to take sick leave.

The Basic Law does not state that the Exco meeting cannot be conducted virtually, however, intrusion prevention has not been set up, so it is not feasible to have the meeting by videoconferencing.

"We always put our phones and iPad in a special locker before our meeting, so there's strict confidentiality," he said.

He said that there was no special agenda for the meeting, adding that the electricity tariff adjustments were not decided by the mini-Cabinet.

The issue has been handled by an effective mechanism between the government and the two power companies, so there was no need for the council to hold a special meeting, he said.

Lee did not make an appearance after attending a briefing on the National People's Congress local deputy election via videoconferencing from Government House on Monday morning.

But he should be "Covid invincible" because one is unlikely to contract coronavirus again shortly after recovery, it is widely believed.

That will give Beijing assurance as it is understood Lee will report to state leaders for the first time next month since he took over the executive duties.

Lee had been careful during his four-day work trip in Bangkok, however, Lee was exposed to a higher risk of Covid, as members were maskless at some events.

There is a chance that the Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum to be held in Guizhou at the end of the month will likely be virtual because of the pandemic situation in China.