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(Translation) Minutes of the 3rd Meeting of the 5th Term Kwun Tong District Council (Full Council) Date: 3 May 2016 (Tuesday) Time: 2:45 p.m. – 7:55 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Kwun Tong District Office, Unit 05-07, 20/F, Millennium City 6, 392 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon Chairman Dr CHAN Chung-bun, Bunny, GBS, JP Vice-chairman Mr HUNG Kam-in, Kin Members Mr AU YEUNG Kwan-nok Mr KAN Ming-tung Mr BUX Sheik Anthony Mr LAI Shu-ho, Patrick, BBS, MH, JP Mr CHAN Chun-kit Mr LUI Tung-hai Mr CHAN Kok-wah, Ben, MH Mr MA Yat-chiu, Marco Mr CHAN Man-kin Mr MOK Kin-shing Mr CHAN Wah-yu, Nelson, MH Mr NGAN Man-yu Mr CHAN Yiu-hung, Jimmy Mr OR Chong-shing, Wilson, MH Mr CHENG Keng-ieong Mrs POON YAM Wai-chun, Winnie, MH Mr CHENG Keung-fung Mr SO Koon-chung, Kevin Mr CHEUNG Ki-tang Ms SO Lai-chun, MH, JP Mr CHEUNG Pui-kong Mr TAM Siu-cheuk Mr CHEUNG Shun-wah Mr TANG Wing-chun Mr CHEUNG Yiu-pan Ms TSE Suk-chun Mr CHOY Chak-hung Mr WONG Chi-ken Ms FU Pik-chun Mr WONG Chun-ping Mr HO Kai-ming, Jonathan Mr YIP Hing-kwok, MH, JP Mr HSU Hoi-shan Mr YIU Pak-leung, Perry Ms KAM Kin Representatives of Government Departments/Organisations Mr LAW Sun-on, Gilford, JP District Officer (Kwun Tong) Ms CHAN Pik-ki, Eiphie Assistant District Officer (Kwun Tong) 1 DCFC 3rd Meeting Minutes (20160503)_英文版 - 1 - Mr MAK Shui-hei, Henry Assistant District Officer (Kwun Tong) 2 Mr Barry John SMITH District Commander (Kwun Tong), Hong Kong Police Force Mr Steven Douglas TAIT Deputy District Commander (Sau Mau Ping), Hong Kong Police Force Mr YIU Hon-sang, Nicholas Police Community Relations Officer (Sau Mau Ping District), Hong Kong Police Force Mr LIU Kin-wai, Rick Senior Transport Officer/Kwun Tong, Transport Department Mr LI Shu-pong District Environmental Hygiene Superintendent, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Mr LUK Tsz-wai, Ian Chief Manager/Management (Kowloon East), Housing Department (Atg) Mr CHUI Si-kay, Peter Chief Engineer/Kowloon 1, Civil Engineering and Development Department Ms IP Siu-ming District Social Welfare Officer (Kwun Tong), Social Welfare Department Miss TANG Man-wah, Sylvia Chief Leisure Manager (Kowloon), Leisure and Cultural Services Department Mr SUI Wai-keung, Stephen, JP Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare Item II Mr YIP Chi-kwai, Tom District Planning Officer/Kowloon, Planning Item III Department Ms SO Yuet-sin, Joyce Senior Town Planner/Kowloon 5, Planning Department Mr FUNG Kai-yuen, Clarence Senior Architect 4, Housing Department Ms FONG Tak-shiu, Teresa Senior Planning Officer 3, Housing Department Mr IP Cheung-kwok, Matthew Senior Civil Engineer 7, Housing Department Mr HO Chi-tat Engineer/Kwun Tong 3, Transport Department Mr WONG Kwok-hung, Kenneth Regional Officer (Kowloon East/Sai Kung), Item V Independent Commission Against Corruption Ms Markie MAK Senior Community Relations Officer, Independent Commission Against Corruption Mr TONG Chai-ming, Ronnie Operations Manager – Kwun Tong Line and Item IX Tsuen Wan Line, MTR Corporation Limited Mr WONG Man-lung Senior Design Management Engineer – Civil, MTR Corporation Limited Ms Lilian YEUNG Public Relations Manager – External Affairs, MTR Corporation Limited Ms SO Yuk-yin Assistant Public Relations Manager – External Affairs, MTR Corporation Limited Secretary - 2 - Mr LEE Yin-bun, Philip Senior Executive Officer (District Council), Kwun Tong District Office In attendance: Miss KAM Yuen-ching Senior Liaison Officer (1), Kwun Tong District Office Miss LEUNG Yin-ping, Pammy Senior Liaison Officer (2), Kwun Tong District Office Ms SHIU Kit-chi, Kitty Senior Executive Officer (District Management), Kwun Tong District Office Mr KO Choar-que, Keith Executive Officer I (District Council), Kwun Tong District Office The Chairman welcomed all to the meeting. Item I － Confirmation of Minutes of Last Meeting 2. The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed. Item II － Public Engagement Exercise on Retirement Protection 3. The Chairman welcomed Mr Stephen SUI, JP, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare (“Under Secretary”) to the meeting. 4. The Under Secretary briefed Members on the key contents of the consultation document. He appealed to Members to comment on the relevant proposals on or before 21 June 2016. During the consultation period, the Government would consult the Legislative Council, the 18 District Councils (“DCs”), various trade associations, trade unions and concern groups. District forums, focus group discussions and so forth would also be organised to gauge the views of the community. 5. The enquiries and suggestions of Members were summarised as follows: 5.1 Mr YIP Hing-kwok pointed out that much of the controversy over retirement protection was centred on the uneven distribution of benefits. Even the means-tested policy for elderly retirees aged under 70 was under attack. He suggested the Government consider introducing a multi-tier retirement protection system and simplify the means-testing procedures for persons under the age of 70. A demo-grant should also be provided to eligible individuals to balance the needs of various groups in the community. Commenting on the Mandatory Provident Fund (“MPF”) System as a means of retirement savings, he indicated that its returns were low and much of the capital gains were eroded by the fees charged by the MPF intermediaries. He suggested the Government follow the example of the Singapore Government in investing for the pension contributors to achieve a guaranteed rate of return. He also suggested the Government raise the asset limit - 3 - of $80,000. 5.2 Mr Nelson CHAN complimented the Labour and Welfare Bureau (“LWB”) for detailing the actual situations and financial burdens for different options in the document. He supported the “regardless of rich or poor” option which could reduce administrative costs, simplify administrative procedures and render asset concealment unnecessary. He suggested the Government consider: (i) reallocating resources from other sources to fund the universal pension; (ii) reviewing the population policy to increase the proportion of working population by, among others, extending the retirement age; (iii) financing the pension fund with special revenue in addition to extra profits tax; and (iv) contemplating the relevant options from various perspectives in order to benefit those in needs. 5.3 Mr BUX Sheik Anthony stated that although the Government kept emphasising the threat of running into financial difficulties if the “regardless of rich or poor” option was adopted, a scholar-backed study suggested that the proposed “universal pension scheme” would still register a surplus till 2064. He said that some elderly flat owners still scavenged cardboard boxes for a living for fear of exhausting their meagre cash savings. Therefore, he hoped the Government could provide some retirement grants to meet their basic needs so that they did not have to apply for other social security assistance, thus preserving their personal dignity. He supported the “regardless of rich or poor” option under which a monthly payment of $3,500 would be paid to all elderly people aged 65 or above with tripartite contributions from the Government, employers and employees. In addition, both employers’ and employees’ MPF contribution rates should be reduced to 2.5% due to overlapping of contributions. Additional profits tax should also be levied on enterprises with profits exceeding $10 million if necessary. 5.4 Mr Patrick LAI pointed out that universal retirement protection and poverty alleviation were in contradiction with each other and quite different in concept. As the elderly were in need of both residential care and medical care, he supported the following policies: lowering of eligible age for the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme (“HCVS”), development of residential care services for the elderly and implementation of the $2 Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly. He suggested the Government consider: (i) widening the tax bands and expanding the net for indirect taxation to increase its revenue; (ii) investing in different enterprises such as the MTR Corporation Limited (“MTRCL”) to generate extra income; (iii) extending the retirement age; and (iv) taking a longer-term perspective to foster consensus in the community and avoid hasty decisions. 5.5 Mr CHEUNG Shun-wah enquired of the Government: (i) how the Old Age Living Allowance (“OALA”) Scheme or Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (“CSSA”) Scheme could be optimised with limited resources to help those living on or under the poverty line; (ii) whether the Hong Kong Monetary Authority could manage MPF funds for the public without charge to reduce fund management fees and hence prevent the persons concerned from entering the OALA or CSSA systems too early, alleviating the Government’s burden in the long run; (iii) whether it had considered promoting the features of reverse mortgage programmes offered by local banks to the elderly with assets (such as flat owners) but lacking in cash reserves so that they could have sufficient cash for living without resorting to the - 4 - CSSA and OALA; and (iv) if it would allocate more resources to the existing elderly welfare (including medical, elderly care, housing) to cater for the needs of the public. 5.6 Ms TSE Suk-chun indicated that what elderly people needed most were medical and care services. She suggested the Government consider: (i) expanding the scope of the public-private partnership programmes in healthcare; (ii) strengthening cooperation between public and private care and attention homes for the elderly and constructing more such homes; (iii) extending the service hours of day care centres (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to facilitate drop-offs and pick-ups by working family members; (iv) lowering the eligible age for the HCVS to 65; (v) reviewing the employment arrangement of contract staff to provide better protection and increase their job satisfaction and security; and (vi) abolishing the offsetting arrangement under the MPF System by way of legislation as soon as possible.

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