Rally Seeks Pension System for All Residents

By Diana Lee, The Standard

Hong Kong

November 12, 2007

About 200 members of various unions marched to SAR government headquarters yesterday calling for the introduction of a better pension fund scheme for all residents. 

It was the fourth consecutive year the Joint Alliance for Universal Retirement Protection organized such a rally. 

Leading the march was a 10-meter- long dragon, which the organizer said symbolized hope for a "one-stop service" the government will provide for all citizens. 

The marchers shouted slogans like "A pension scheme for all and the elderly," and "If the chief executive lacks foresight now, the city will be in trouble 20 years later" and carried banners saying "A pension fund for all." 

Fung Yung, 93, said the existing pension system had failed to meet her needs and she wanted to fight for a better living for herself and others. 

"I used to work as a home assistant until I was 82," she said. "Now I live alone and can't rely on relatives. When I'm not well and if Western medicine cannot cure my illness in a day or two, I want to be treated with traditional Chinese medicine, but it's not subsidized and I have to use my savings to pay for it." 

Due to her advanced age, Fung did not walk with the other participants and sat in front of the entrance to government headquarters. 

The protesters also said elderly people have failed to gain adequate protection from the old-age allowance and the Mandatory Provident Fund scheme. 

Wong Sau-ping, a spokeswoman for the rally, said the old-age allowance, or "fruit grant," could not solve the issue of inadequate protection for the elderly. 

"We hope the government will implement a comprehensive pension scheme which will eventually provide the elderly with a monthly pension allowance of about HK$3,000, with other medical benefits," she said.

The alliance also said a recent survey showed that 76.8 percent of people interviewed believed the government should implement a comprehensive pension fund scheme. 

Lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions said, under the current system, only those aged 65 or above can take the "fruit grant" with a means test. 

"The current system has failed to protect the self-employed and those working as home assistants. It's unfair to them. Housewives are also not in the category, " Wong said. 

He said the government should conduct an in-depth review to provide pension allowance for those working as housewives and home assistants. 

Under the current system, those aged 70 or above receive HK$705 a month as a "fruit grant" while those aged between 65 and 69 receive HK$625 monthly after they have passed a means test.

The alliance said a survey showed that political and social groups support a centralized retirement protection plan. 

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