Outgoing MTR Chief 'has No Regrets'

Frederick Ma, who's leaving as chairman of the scandal-plagued MTR Corporation at the end of this week after three-and-a-half years, insisted on Monday he has no regrets.

During his tenure, the biggest construction scandal in the rail operator's history - substandard work at Hung Hom Station - came to light. The company also faced problems such as subsidence, a train collision during testing for a new signalling system and a number of service disruptions.

Ma admitted the Hung Hom safety scare has left a stain on the firm's reputation. He tendered his resignation twice over the Shatin-to-Central Link (SCL) scandal.

"I have no regret whatsoever, I love what I've been doing... I enjoy every moment when I was the chairman," he said in a media gathering on Monday.

"Even during the SCL crisis, the team was very united, we worked very well together. If there was any regret, I regret that some colleagues did not do their job up to the expectations of our citizens, causing delay in the SCL which is really regrettable."

And while Ma is no stranger to offering apologies - he also did so during the 2002 penny stock scandal while serving as the secretary for the financial services and the treasury - he said he doesn't think public apologies have become "endemic", otherwise it would mean saying sorry is not sincere.

He said if people did make a mistake, then they should apologise.

Ma also offered a piece of advice to his successor, Rex Au Yeung, the head of Lingnan University’s governing council.

"It is very important that he supports the team, face up the challenge and be ready for any challenges that may not be caused by him per se," Ma said.

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