Judging from the recent trend of public opinion, the need for minimum wage legislation has become a matter of consensus in Hong Kong.

The argument at present is not whether the law should be enacted, but at what level the minimum wage should be set. The dissension over that point is considerable.

Recently a legislator made a public apology after he was quoted as having proposed a minimum wage of HK$20 per hour. That notion came under harsh criticism, though the legislator subsequently said he made no such proposal and had been misquoted in the media. This example goes a long way to demonstrate that the community considers a very low level minimum to be unacceptable.

Influential business tycoon Li Ka-shing has also openly declared total support - from himself and his group - for the implementation of a minimum wage. This reflects the willingness of the business sector, as employers, to accept the social consensus on minimum wage.

The minimum wage issue is broad enough to touch several points of our social fabric: the labor market, morality, legislation and politics, and we must take care not to focus on one area and neglect the others.

Employers and liberal economists tend to view the issue only from the labor market perspective; workers' unions and social groups see it from the moral viewpoint; some politicians see it as an opportunity to score political points for their parties; and legislators discuss the issue in terms reflecting the preferences of their voters.

The government, which has allowed the market to determine the minimum wage in the past, is now addressing the issue, as it faces a changing tide and increasing pressure from public opinion.

While Hong Kong is a relatively affluent, capitalist society, some workers are still earning meager wages. Setting a minimum wage may raise the incomes of this underprivileged group and help boost consumption.

The phenomenon of income disparity reveals widespread and deep-rooted problems. The belief has become fairly widespread that an appropriate minimum wage would mitigate the conflicts arising from the gap between rich and poor.

Setting the minimum wage would clearly be a big step forward for the local community. It would serve the interest of the majority. Current discussions should translate ultimately into a piece of legislation that is well balanced, taking into consideration all relevant interests.

The author is a commentator of the Phoenix Satellite TV.

(HK Edition 04/02/2010 page1)