Finance Committee chairman points to members criticising government or expressing own views
TONY CHEUNGtony.cheung@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 03 December, 2015, 10:44pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 03 December, 2015, 10:44pm
The MTRC and the government announced on Monday that the latest estimate for the project was HK$84.42 billion, up HK19.6 billion from the original plan. Photo: Felix Wong
The debate on the controversial high-speed rail link's funding could be cut short if lawmakers are using the question-and-answer session to "criticise officials or express personal views", the head of the Legislative Council's Finance Committee has warned.
Chan Kin-por was speaking a day after he said funding for the link to Guangzhou may be blocked by the government's own allies unless it apologises or makes serious efforts to pacify Hongkongers over its massive cost overrun.
Chan's suggestion on Wednesday raised questions about whether he will be tough on the pan-democrats, who urged officials to come clean on who should be held accountable for the controversy.
Chan confirmed yesterday that he would not allow the debate to "drag on".
"If lawmakers' speeches are starting to become irrelevant or repetitive, if they are not using their time to ask questions but to criticise [officials] and to express their personal opinion, and if there are fewer and fewer people asking questions ... that would be the time to end the debate," Chan said.
The MTR Corporation and the government sparked controversy after they announced on Monday that the latest estimate for the project was HK$84.42 billion, up HK19.6 billion from the original plan. The extra funding will require approval from a highly sceptical Finance Committee.
But that is not the only contentious funding request awaiting approval. The government is seeking an additional HK$5.46 billion for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge.
Pan-democrats warned that Chan must not stop them from questioning officials.
People Power lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip said: "The government has yet to tell us why so many projects are costing more than it estimated, and who is responsible for the mistakes ... A responsible legislature has to find out the answers."
Last month, Chan Kin-por won praise from allies when the funding proposal for a new innovation and technology bureau was approved, but pandemocrats accused him of setting a bad precedent by slashing motions on the proposal put forward by members of their camp.
The insurance representative yesterday described what he did as a "good precedent", and warned he would do it again if necessary.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/1886579/hong-kong-rail-link-funding-debate-cant-drag-says-chairman
