Lawmaker Michael Tien on Wednesday said the court had been too lenient on a leading construction company, by fining it just HK$40,000 for cutting corners while building the Shatin-to-Central Rail Link in 2018.

Leighton Contractors (Asia) pleaded guilty at the Kowloon City Court on Tuesday to violating the Buildings Ordinance, after authorities found that the couplers of the steel reinforcements in a reinforced concrete slab deviated from the government's approved-plan while building the Hung Hom MTR station.

But neither Leighton nor other parties involved in the project have been reprimanded so far for other issues that came to light during an independent inquiry into the scandal, such as unauthorised changes to the designs for diaphragm walls, substandard platform works, and missing inspection documents.

Tien said all these will send a very wrong message to construction companies.

"All the future bidders of huge government infrastructural projects, they would hand in their bid, not based on full government spec with the expectation that they can get away with changing the spec, as long as it's certified safe. [That would] create a very un-levelled playing field and thereby, rendering all the specs in the original government papers or the contracts totally obsolete and irrelevant," he said.

"If every time a violation happens and that it is proven by professionals that it is safe, then it begs the question, why would the government insists on a high standard in the first place?”

The Buildings Department and the Department of Justice said in response that they are studying the sentence and considering whether to file an appeal.

The government, meanwhile, said law enforcement officials will continue to conduct criminal investigation into the scandal.

A spokesperson also dismissed as fabricated and irresponsible claims that it did not want to involve the MTR Corporation in the legal proceedings.

"The law enforcement department must handle every case in a fair, just and impartial manner," the spokesman said.

"The police continue to conduct criminal investigations into the incidents concerning the construction quality of the [Shatin-to-Central Link] project. According to the established policy, we will not offer any comment on the case at this stage. We reiterate that no one should make groundless conclusion or make untrue, unfair and irresponsible remarks."
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Last updated: 2023-06-28 HKT 21:14