The case of suspected counterfeit bricks used at a railway construction site has been handed over to the police, according to Hong Kong’s rail operator.
In a Wednesday press release, the MTR Corporation (MTRC) said the subcontractor responsible for the procurement of worksite materials was unable to ascertain the authenticity of the bricks used at Tung Chung East Station.
That was despite repeated requests for documentation from the subcontractor since June, when the MTRC first received reports from Jetway Building Material Limited, Hong Kong’s sole agent for the German-made YTong aerated concrete bricks, questioning the authenticity of the construction materials being used.
The rail operator’s move comes days after it was revealed that mainland Chinese brick brand Beijing YiTong had been used to build walls in the station, instead of German manufacturer Xella’s YTong bricks, as specified in the subcontractor’s procurement contract.
Meanwhile, the only authorised manufacturer of YTong bricks in mainland China, Ublok, has taken legal action against trademark infringement, it said on Thursday.
Ublok also said that it had been aware of suspected illegal activities, including forgeries of authorisation documents, for more than two months.
‘Unauthorised materials, falsified documents’
The MTRC said on Wednesday that the bricks were used for the non-structural partition walls of station equipment rooms. They were procured and installed by a subcontractor appointed through tender by the main contractor, with works starting in June.
However, despite the rail operator’s repeated efforts since June requesting the subcontractor to provide proof that the bricks were procured from an authorised manufacturer, “the subcontractor has been unable to satisfy either the main contractor or the [MTRC] as to the authenticity of the product,” the Wednesday statement read.
The main contractor informed the MTRC that the bricks “would not be used” in the project, it added.
The MTRC said it had reported the suspected “unauthorised materials and falsified documents” to the police.
According to the MTRC, it has been rigorously following up on the matter since June and has instructed the main contractor to submit a comprehensive report, which the rail operator will independently review and verify.
The MTRC will also “take serious follow-up actions in accordance with the contract terms with the main contractor.” The incident will not affect progress on the station construction works, nor will it incur additional costs, it added.
In recent days, comparisons have been drawn between the building materials incident and a water supply scandal involving the government. Both incidents call into question whether there are potential loopholes in tender and due diligence procedures.
