Editing Link REIT (section)

==Government response==
[[File:香港候任特首林鄭月娥14.jpg|thumb|[[Carrie Lam]], now [[chief executive of Hong Kong|chief executive]], has called Link REIT one of the "three mountains" facing Hong Kong society]]
Link REIT has been widely condemned by officials on both sides of the political spectrum. [[Starry Lee]], chairperson of the pro-Beijing [[Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]], reported that former chief executive [[Leung Chun-ying]] "strongly criticised" Link REIT in a meeting with the DAB.<ref name="june2016">{{cite news|last1=Cheung|first1=Tong|title=Three mountains: Hong Kong government eyes Link Reit, MTR fare rises and the provident fund|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1966480/three-mountains-hong-kong-government-eyes-link-reit-mtr-fare|work=South China Morning Post|date=6 June 2016}}</ref> In an interview with the ''[[South China Morning Post]]'', Leung questioned whether the remuneration structure for top management of Link REIT had led to the trust's behaviour.<ref name="hongkongce">{{cite news|last1=Cheung|first1=Gary|last2=Zhao|first2=Shirley|title=Hong Kong's chief executive takes on Link Reit over rent concerns|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1982749/hong-kongs-chief-executive-takes-link-reit-over-rent|work=South China Morning Post|date=28 June 2016}}</ref> He said that, as the previous owner of the public housing commercial space, the Hong Kong government has a responsibility to public housing tenants "to satisfy their needs and if necessary to provide alternatives to Link REIT properties". He said that a Link REIT monopoly in public estates was not acceptable as elderly tenants could not be expected to carry their heavy shopping to and from other markets.<ref name="didnotpromise">{{cite news|last1=Cheung|first1=Gary|last2=Ibrahim|first2=Zuraidah|title=We did not promise Link a monopoly on supply of shopping centres, insists Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1982744/we-did-not-promise-link-monopoly-supply-shopping-centres|work=South China Morning Post|date=28 June 2016}}</ref> He said there was no plan to buy back the Link, but the government could explore providing alternatives if the Link was not serving nearby residents.<ref name="hongkongce"/>

[[Carrie Lam]], ex-Hong Kong chief executive, was reported in 2016 to have called Link REIT one of the "three mountains" – i.e. one of the major sources of contention in Hong Kong society – that the government sought to conquer. Lam stated that the government should explore different avenues toward tackling the problem, including launching a potential legal battle against the company.<ref name="june2016"/>

Similarly, in April 2019, legislator [[Alice Mak (politician)|Alice Mak]] moved a motion in the Legislative Council urging the government to "overcome the 'three big mountains'" that she wrote had plagued the local community, one of which is Link REIT.<ref name="3april2019motion">{{cite web |title=LC Paper No. CB(3) 488/18-19: Council meeting of 3 April 2019, Motion on "Requesting the Government to overcome the 'three big mountains' in people's livelihood" |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/motion/m_papers/cm20190403cb3-488-e.pdf |publisher=Legislative Council |date=22 March 2019}}</ref> Various other legislators moved motions to this amendment suggesting means of tackling the problem, including amending the Housing Ordinance to regulate rent increases; constructing more public markets and bazaars to diminish Link REIT's commercial monopoly in many areas, and provide residents with greater shopping choices; creating a dedicated team within the [[Lands Department]] to inspect Link REIT properties, and to conduct enforcement against violations of land lease conditions by the company; and buying back Link REIT properties and placing them back under government management.<ref name="amendments">{{cite web |title=LC Paper No. CB(3) 509/18-19: Council meeting of 3 April 2019, Amendments to Hon Alice MAK's motion on "Requesting the Government to overcome the 'three big mountains' in people's livelihood" |url=https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/motion/m_papers/cm20190403cb3-509-e.pdf |publisher=Legislative Council |date=29 March 2019}}</ref>