The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Monday asked a railway company to solve management disputes in three days, while reassuring the service will be maintained.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang has expressed concern over the dispute among the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) management and has asked the company's board of directors to deliver suggestions in three days, said an article published by the government website on Monday.

KCRC chairman Michael Tien Puk-sun resigned Sunday, 48 hours after the company's acting chief executive Samuel Lai Man-hay alleged Tien's leadership style caused management problem for the KCRC.

Tien, waiting for a specific date given by the chief executive to step down, said he decided to resign for the sake of the passengers' interests.

Tsang, however, hasn't commented on the issue in the public since Tien declared his resignation.

The incident is a matter of public interest and should be handled rationally, while the rail service should be maintained and the staff should not be affected, HKSAR Secretary for the Environment and Transport Works Sarah Liao said Monday.

On the possible merger of the KCRC and the city's subway service MTRC, Liao said the plan will be considered and proceed as scheduled, though there are still uncertainties.

The KCRC, a government-held company, has been criticized for poor management since last December, when cracks were found in mountings of several train compressors.

Established in 1982, the railway company has played an important role in Hong Kong's public transport, providing transport for over one million commuters daily.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)