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Chief Secretary Carrie Lam says suggestions the Kowloon train terminal will become a shopping centre are a fantasy. Photo: David Wong

Hong Kong’s top officials accelerate drive to secure elusive funding for controversial rail link to mainland China

Two of Hong Kong’s top officials today marked Lunar New Year’s Eve by issuing fresh warnings against further delaying the high-speed rail link.

Responding to critics, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor ridiculed suggestions that the West Kowloon terminus, currently 75 per cent complete, could be converted into an underground shopping mall to help stem the railway’s massive budget overrun. Lam dismissed the “irresponsible” idea as an “Arabian Nights” fantasy.

READ MORE: MTR chief warns of ‘catastrophic’ aftermath if Legco votes down high-speed rail after shareholders let MTR take on potential further cost overruns

Hong Kong’s No. 2 official appealed to pan-democratic lawmakers to end their filibuster currently blocking the HK$19.6 billion in additional funds that the government is seeking for the 26-km express rail link to the mainland. The government is facing serious difficulty in securing the extra money since lawmakers originally backed the HK$65 billion request in 2010.

Echoing warnings of delays, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah reiterated that jobs were at risk and urged lawmakers to get on with approving the money. MTR Corporation chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang last month estimated 7,000 jobs in the construction industry were at risk if lawmakers sank the project by blocking funding.

READ MORE: High stakes for high-speed rail: Hong Kong trade body boss says over 100 subcontractors could suffer if no extra project funding

Tsang, meanwhile, warned that Hong Kong’s economy would struggle to grow 2.5 per cent this year, amid a gloomy business outlook for the Lunar New Year.

On a radio show Tsang said a slowdown in the global economy would affect growth prospects. To combat the weakness, he said, his priority was to boost domestic consumption and continue with the government’s agenda of developing infrastructure projects.

Writing in his blog, Tsang also wished Hongkongers “good health” in the Year of the Monkey.

Also in her radio interview, the chief secretary said the rule of law in Hong Kong had not been shaken by concerns about five missing booksellers who have been confirmed to be on the mainland now.

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