Hong Kong Government Protested For Not Close Border With China

Illustrated photo (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Hong Kong (MTR) train service connecting mainland China was interrupted on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 morning local time. This was caused by protests against the Hong Kong government which refused to close the mainland China-Hong Kong border.

Hong Kong people are urging the government to close borders because of the coronavirus outbreak that is getting more violent. The latest report, as many as 132 people died as a result of the virus outbreak.

Quoted from the South China Post Morning, Wednesday, January 29, 2020, anti-government activists rallied by directing the masses to the streets and railroad tracks. One engineer reported that he saw flames on the eastern rail line, which connects the Kowloon area with mainland China. A burning object was seen on the line near the Chinese University station at around 7 a.m., according to a report from the police.

Earlier, protesters had pledged "anti-epidemic" measures if the government did not immediately close the border.

The Hong Kong government said a day earlier that it would reduce cross-border travel with mainland China through measures such as suspension of visas for mainland Chinese tourists and the closure of two rail lines, including Hong Kong-Guangzhou and Shenzhen-Hong Kong travel.

With some office regulations allowing employees to work from home to avoid exposure to illness, the protests were attended by very few people and did not cause serious train disruption.

The train operator later announced that trains on the eastern rail line, namely the main train connecting Kowloon and the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau borders leading to mainland China, were running slower than usual because of the crowds around the tracks near the station near Chinese University .

Many items were found on the lines near other stations, including between the lines connecting Fanling and Sheung Shui. The MTR then informed passengers that there was an additional 10 to 15 minutes for their journey on the eastern rail line.