Delays Pointless As Rail Law A Done Deal: MTR Head

MTR Corporation chairman Frederick Ma on Sunday appealed to legislators opposed to creating a joint-immigration checkpoint at the future West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus "not to stop the earth from rotating".

A Legco committee scrutinising legislation which would allow mainland officers to enforce national laws at the station is expected to hold its final meeting on Monday. Pan-democrats have filed dozens of amendments to the bill.

Ma said opposition lawmakers should not try to delay passage of the legislation because they don't have the votes to block it in any case.

Speaking to reporters after appearing on a radio programme, the MTR chief warned that the new cross-border line may not be able to open as scheduled in September if the legislation is not approved before Legco's summer break.

Ma also revealed that people may not be able to buy tickets in Hong Kong to all destinations on the mainland, giving cities in Tibet as an example.

But he said officials would be working with mainland authorities to try to solve the problem in the future.

Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan says she was very surprised by the revelation. The convenor of the Co-location Concern Group said legislators were also not told of the problem after visiting the terminal twice.

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