HK old age allowance vote postponed

Finance Committee to decide on funding allocation next Tuesday

The deadlock between Hong Kong government and the Legislative Council (LegCo) over the HK$2,200-a-month elderly living allowance is dragging on, with neither side prepared to compromise. The government requested legislators to delay the "ultimate" decision on the allowance until next Tuesday.

In addition, Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor revealed on Thursday that a request was made to the Finance Committee to call for a special meeting on Tuesday to make the "ultimate" decision on the allowance funding. She added, the request was made in recognition of "the importance we attach to our working relationship with the LegCo".

The new date was also proposed for tactical reasons. Thirty-four of the 69 members of the committee had already declared support for a motion that the debate on the proposal be adjourned. Legislators from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) were among those favoring adjournment of the debate scheduled for Friday.

Friday's meeting is not an ultimate meeting to vote on this funding application, "so I really see no need for the meeting to adjourn," Lam said, hoping to use Friday to begin deliberation of the package.

She did not explain whether the government would withdraw its promise to backdate the allowance payment to October 2012 if the LegCo fails to accept the government's funding proposal on Tuesday.

"We don't want to see that happen, okay?" said she, "Sometimes a discussion has to be put to an end, an end that is exactly anticipated by 400,000 seniors, so they can receive the allowance by the first quarter of next year."

Acknowledging legislators concerns raised on asset limits and retirement protection, she promised lawmakers that the issues will all be addressed later through other platforms, including the Commission on Poverty. For now, Lam hopes the legislature will accept the tabled package.

Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, secretary for labour and welfare, who also promised that the current administration will come up with better protection for retired people, said the October deadline is important, because of complex contractual issues.

As for the Tuesday meeting, Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, chair of the committee, said he could not guarantee such an ad-hoc call will draw the required quorum.

Furthermore, the LegCo panel on welfare services was overwhelmed by over 90 requests from groups and individuals wishing to express views on the new allowance.

Another session was scheduled on Monday to clear the backlog of over 50 requests, but panel Chairwoman Chan Yuen-han decided not to schedule further panel meetings. Instead, she will move the motion to adjourn the Friday debate on behalf of the panel.

Hong Kong government has managed to secure support of only about 20 lawmakers from both camps for the funding proposal. The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which holds 11 undecided votes, was a key target of the lobbying effort. And its highly anticipated that DAB's meeting with Lam on Thursday yielded no outcome.

DAB Chairman Tam Yiu-chung said the group had reiterated its demand to raise the asset ceiling from HK$168,000 to HK$300,000, but Lam insisted there was no room for such a compromise. Though Lam hoped the party would accept the proposal now and review details later, Tam said DAB members were not rushing to make a decision.

Both the Liberal Party and HKFTU also declared that no decision was made on which way to vote. The trade unions, however, appeared determined not to accept any asset declaration attached to eligibility for the allowance.

kahon@chinadailyhk.com