Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Sunday that she feels like a great burden is being lifted from her shoulders as her tenure ends this month.

Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme, the CE said her five-year term had been a roller-coaster ride.

She said she had done a lot of work and pushed ahead with the SAR’s infrastructure in the first two years of her tenure.

However, she said the protests in 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic had stalled the progress.

She said she hopes to have more rest and sleep after the new government takes office on July 1.

“Everything comes to an end. I feel greatly relieved… Whatever happens in Hong Kong after July 1 is none of my business, you can’t imagine how relaxed I feel,” she said.

Lam added that she feels proud and has no regret over her more than four decades of public service as she has achieved her goal of developing Hong Kong and working for its people.

The CE admitted that despite her experience in administration, she didn’t know enough about politics, national security and geopolitics when she took up the top job five years ago.

She said she had learned more about these issues during her tenure and realised that Hong Kong could become a loophole in national security “if things are not handled properly”.

Asked about sanctions imposed on her by the US, Lam said her family had grown closer and more united in face of a common enemy.

Her husband and sons are more protective and supportive of her as they saw her being bullied, she said.

She added that she was angry about the sanctions because it was only reasonable for Hong Kong officials to uphold national security.

She thanked 11 other officials who were also sanctioned by the US for their devotion to their jobs.

Lam will be succeeded by incoming Chief Executive John Lee.