Don’t give rail giant MTR Corp property development rights at new stations, former Hong Kong housing chief urges government
Anthony Cheung, who spoke of his troubles trying to meet public housing targets, says contracts to build flats over stations should be open for tender
Hong Kong’s railway operator should no longer be granted property development rights atop its new stations as the model only benefits investors and not the public, the city’s ex-transport chief says.
Former transport and housing minister Anthony Cheung Bing-leung also told the Post in a wide-ranging interview of his struggles trying to meet public housing targets.
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“To be fair, they should be open for tender, the government should not favour one company only, unless the company always thinks of the public interest,” Cheung said, referring to the MTR Corporation.
But as a listed company responsible to shareholders, he added, the rail giant was unable to do so.
Cheung raised the idea in a book documenting controversial incidents that transpired during his tenure as secretary for transport and housing from 2012 to 2017. He also noted how he had missed the target set for public housing supply and offered a defence of the city’s long-term strategy on the issue as laid down by the previous administration.