This photo dated April 21, 2021 shows the Central Government Offices at Tamar, Hong Kong. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government refuted on Wednesday the smears hinting that it might not take further action on the 2018 corner-cutting scandal involving the expansion of the Hung Hom MTR station under the Sha Tin-Central Link project.

In a statement, the government described as fabricated and irresponsible the claim that it was “less willing to implicate MTR Corporation Ltd to the turbulence in legal proceedings", pointing out that police criminal investigations were still ongoing.

The spokesman said statements hinting that the government “might not further follow up” the investigation are “completely unfounded with malicious intent”

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"We reiterate that no one should make groundless conclusion or make untrue, unfair and irresponsible remarks," a government spokesman was quoted as saying in the statement.

“The police continues to conduct criminal investigations into the incidents concerning the construction quality of the SCL project.”

The spokesman said statements hinting that the government “might not further follow up” the investigation are “completely unfounded with malicious intent”.

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“The government must rebuke the remarks and set the record straight. Any act attempting to smear the government by fabrication will be doomed to fail,” the statement reads.

The government had initiated an independent commission of inquiry and an expert adviser team after the corner-cutting scandal was exposed in June 2018. 

The spokesman said their final reports have already been released upon completion of the investigation, review and audit and the government concurred with their recommendations.

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These recommendations, apart from being implemented in the SCL project, are also applicable to future railway projects, he added.