Rita Fan, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said Mr Leung should face the media if he wants to regain the people's trust.

On Friday the Chief Executive issued a statement blaming a lapse of memory for falsely claiming during his election campaign that his home had not been illegally altered.

Mrs Fan said she hoped he would consider answering questions directly, to improve public confidence in his integrity and sincerity.

"However, the decision is with him," she added.

A prominent C Y Leung supporter, former Chief Secretary Sir David Akers-Jones, said he expected that the Chief Executive would answer any outstanding questions about his illegal structures in due course.

Sir David said he had not had time to read Mr Leung's explanation fully, but that giving it in written form in the way he had done was a "very good thing".

He said if there were more questions to be asked, Mr Leung would answer them.