Incumbent\u2019s comments raise questions about whether the chief executive-elect\u2019s team was an ideal line-up<\/b>
\nUncertainties were already looming over the unity of incoming leader \u2019s cabinet on Wednesday, as her justice chief did not commit on finishing a second five-year term, while her financial secretary dodged questions on whether he was her first choice. The remarks by Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung and Financial Secretary, two of Lam\u2019s top three ministers, raised questions about whether the team was the chief executive-elect\u2019s ideal line-up. Since Lam on March 26, it has been widely reported that she wanted former Bar Association chairwoman Winnie Tam Wan-chi for justice secretary and Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, Asia chairman of a United States-based insurance firm, for financial chief. After Yuen was tipped to be reappointed, there were then reports suggesting he would leave next year after sorting out law enforcement issues dogging the city\u2019s cross-border railway project. Yuen would not confirm this on Wednesday. He would only say: \u201cTime is not the most crucial consideration. From my perspective, what is important is that as long as I remain the secretary for justice, I will do my best to discharge my duties.\u201d He said his top priority was to \u201cmaintain the rule of law\u201d. A year ago, Yuen was admitted to hospital with intestinal discomfort and was on leave for a few days. In December 2015 he also spent three days in hospital with severe abdominal pain. But he said he did not have any health problems that would prevent him from doing the job. \u201cI suppose everyone here …would have to, from time to time, perhaps consult the doctor or take some medicine. That is human, \u201d he said. Meeting the media with Yuen, Paul Chan faced a series of questions on whether he was Lam\u2019s first choice. Chan, a trusted accountant promoted by outgoing leader, said he did not know the answer. \u201cI really don\u2019 t know the details. But from my budget speech this February, you can see that my principles on public finance, such as developing the economy, improving livelihoods and investing in the future… matched what Mrs Lam proposed in her manifesto.\u201d Separately, Lam said all her ministers \u201cagree with my new style of governance … while officials on the fiscal side have no disagreement with my new philosophy of public finance management\u201d. Dismissing the suggestion that she should require more from her financial officials than simply \u201cno disagreement\u201d, Lam said those colleagues needed to be gatekeepers and remind other officials not to spend as they wished. Lam said she would task Chan with leading a committee comprising financial experts to gauge views on how to further promote Hong Kong\u2019s international financial status. Demosisto lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung said Lam\u2019s cabinet reflected how little say she had in the choices of ministers. Citing media reports, Law accused Beijing\u2019s liaison office in Hong Kong of banning certain names which were previously being floated, such as former Bar Association chairwoman Winnie Tam Wan-chi for justice secretary. \u201cWe can see the huge influence of the liaison office, \u201d he said. \u201cThe new cabinet has failed to convince Hongkongers it can … defend the principle of \u2018one country, two systems\u2019 .\u201d<\/p>\n