8 | Thursday, October 17, 2019 EDITION | CHINA DAILY COMMENT HK Let us work together Bold new for HK’s common good measures Cheng Yuet- ngor delivers her third Policy Address at the Ho Lok-sang says Carrie Lam’s Policy Address newly-reopened Legislative Council on Wednesday outlines the first step to address the city’s housing before being interrupted by opposition lawmakers. She highlighted new housing crisis — the most pressing concern of our times and land supply policies. CHINA DAILY o one will ques- the end of 2020, now under study. tion the great While these e orts promise to di culties that alleviate the housing shortage over Hong Kong is the short to medium term, as well facing. But this as the fi nancial stress on families is exactly the struggling to make ends meet, Lam’s Policy Address o ers hope Ho Lok-sang time to test out The author is a senior research government is also looking at the whether and how Hong Kong people fellow, Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong longer term, with a comprehensive Nare prepared to work together to Kong Economic Policy Research strategy to increase land supply achieve a brighter, better future for through expediting planning and for resolving housing woes Institute, Lingnan University. all. invoking the Lands Resumption The song Under the Lion Rock At this hour for Hong Ordinance to resume three types of t is not an easy job to release a Policy Address has the following lyrics: “Let’s put private land for developing public in a tough time like the one Hong Kong is aside our di erences and seek our Kong, the special housing and starter homes: brown- now in. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the common goals.” The Policy Address administrative re- fi eld sites; land already zoned for chief executive, got the task done by making just announced by Chief Executive residential but left undeveloped; Ithe Policy Address concise and focused. Though the Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has gion government is and urban private land located in Policy Address is short, its implications and implicit presented her government’s con- three villages in . The gov- agenda are still worth studying, especially because tribution to this e ort. Some may correct in address- ernment will continue to work on it is a Policy Address released in a tough time. be disappointed by the absence of ing first the pressing the Land Sharing Pilot Scheme al- First, the government did put great e ort into Paul Yeung any content about political reform, ready announced to convert agricul- focused areas. The most signifi cant one is the The author is research o cer of the One Coun- but at this hour for Hong Kong, issues of the day that tural land to residential and other housing and land policy. The Lands Resumption try Two Systems Research Institute. the special administrative region uses, as well as the reclamation proj- Ordinance will be invoked to obtain the required government is correct in addressing the government can ects under the Lantau Tomorrow private land for established public purposes. The The new Policy Address has fi rst the pressing issues of the day handle with relative Vision — engaging professionals and idea of invoking this ordinance had been fl oated sent out a clear message: The that the government can handle especially young people during the previously, with some raising objections, citing lots with relative e cacy: housing and efficacy: housing and process. Also, the government will of technical barriers. Nonetheless, the new Policy government is determined to the shortage of developable land, the shortage of devel- replan the coastal development of Address has sent out a clear message: The govern- and an economy on the verge of Tuen Mun West and review over 300 ment is determined to adopt a government-led adopt a government-led ap- a serious recession. I am sure the opable land, and an “Government, Institution or Com- approach to resolve the land shortage problem pro- proach to resolve the land short- government is willing to engage munity” sites to optimize land use. actively, and it dares to make bold decisions. Given in a meaningful dialogue with the economy on the verge Few can deny that Lam’s govern- this determination, it is not surprising for people age problem proactively, and it public about political reform within of a serious recession. ment is listening to the community to see a series of housing measures like increasing dares to make bold decisions. the framework of the Basic Law. and responding to it. The commu- the number of transitional housing projects, and However, this is bound to be contro- nity had urged the development raising the mortgage caps under the Mortgage versial, and can proceed fruitfully Civil Servants’ Co-operative Building of brownfi eld sites as a matter of Insurance Programme of the Hong Kong Mortgage adding 2,500 full-fee-waiving places. The provision only when all sides are willing to Society Scheme buildings as a pilot priority, and had proposed that the Corporation Ltd. of student grants will be enhanced and regularized. work within the framework of the program. government make use of the Lands Secondly, sincerity and frankness are abun- The Child Allowance under the Working Family Basic Law. Provide 3,300 youth hostel places Resumption Ordinance. She is doing dantly demonstrated in the blueprint. We can read Allowance will be raised by 40 percent. Let us review some of the initia- and relax the prevailing require- exactly what she was advised, and between the lines that the government is intending As mentioned above, the Policy Address deliv- tives the SAR government has ment to allow tenants to submit/ more. to make the policy formulation process as transpar- ered the messages of relentless e ort, sincerity, and proposed in regard to housing and retain their applications for public I am pleased that the Policy ent as possible. For instance, the government is hope. They were not only messages from the chief land policy: rental housing and continue to ac- Address has demonstrated that going to push through the Lantau Tomorrow Vision executive but from the whole government. These Set aside HK$5 billion ($637 cumulate points under the Quota the government is putting much project, and it knows the key lies in public engage- messages should be shared with all the people who million) to provide a total of 10,000 and Points System. emphasis on nurturing talents, ment. The government understands the concern love Hong Kong, our home. However, we cannot transitional housing units within In addition to these e orts to in- social innovation, and research and and doubt of the public; thus it will establish a plat- forget what happened in the chamber of the Legis- the next three years. crease housing supply, especially the development, and is boosting its form for various professionals and young people to lative Council on Wednesday. The legislators from Invite the Hong Kong Housing supply of for-sale homes, Lam has funding for the Dedicated Fund on take part in the process. People can participate in the opposition camp tried their best to prevent the Authority to explore the feasibility o ered initiatives to ease the burden Branding, Upgrading and Domestic the formulation of policies in areas such as urban delivery of the Policy Address. The government of redeveloping its factory estates on existing renters and homebuyers: Sales. All this is important for Hong design, land use, and smart, environment-friendly extended an olive branch, but the opposition camp for use. Increase the maximum rates of Kong to build on its advantage as and sustainable development, as well as in explor- chose to add fuel to the fi re, which has been burn- Accelerate the sale of 42,000 un- rent allowance for Comprehensive an innovation hub. Also, I am im- ing how to link up the housing needs of Hong Kong ing the city for several months. Their action sent sold apartments in the estates un- Social Security Assistance (CSSA) pressed that the government has its people with the housing development plans for the out a message that they were obstructing all posi- der the Tenants Purchase Scheme. households. mind on the truly needy. By boost- outlying islands. If this mechanism is put into prac- tive measures that can help to restore Hong Kong. O er 12,000 apartments under Allow mortgage loans to cover ing the Working Family Allowance tice, the land development project will be a great In his book The Attention Merchants: The the and 90 percent of appraised values for and substantially raising the Child project in which all of us have a stake. Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads, Tim Green Form Subsidised Home homes up to HK$8 million ($1.02 Allowance by 40 percent, by improv- Last but not least, the Policy Address gives a light Wu shared with us his thoughts: “In nearly ev- Ownership Scheme for pre-sale next million) for fi rst-time homebuyers ing the CSSA Scheme to encourage hope to all Hong Kong people. The vision of the ery moment of our waking lives, we face a bar- year. under the Mortgage Insurance Pro- employment, by extending a range housing policy is clear that “every Hong Kong citi- rage of messaging, advertising enticements, Raise the quota of White Form gramme of the Hong Kong Mort- of supplement and special grants zen and his family will no longer have to be trou- branding, sponsored social media, and other applicants for the Secondary Market gage Corporation Insurance Ltd. to eligible non-elderly able-bodied bled by or preoccupied with the housing problem, e orts to harvest our attention. Few moments Scheme in 2020. Launch in the next fi nancial year recipients, and increasing the rent and that they will be able to have their own home or spaces of our day remain uncultivated by Work with the Urban Renewal two rounds of grants of the one-time allowance, the SAR government is in Hong Kong, a city in which we all have a share.” the ‘attention merchants’, contributing to the Authority (URA) to provide 1,000 living subsidy for low-income house- helping Hong Kong become a caring Hong Kong people are enduring the darkest days distracted, unfocused tenor of our times.” We Starter Home units for sale to Hong holds not living in public rental society. There is also good news for in decades due to the ongoing violent campaign; can also fi nd this phenomenon in political Kong residents as the second phase housing (PRH) and not receiving patients with rare diseases, as the the light of hope is vital to residents. Moreover, life in which the opposition camp always tries of the Starter Homes for Hong Kong CSSA, including those awaiting government is introducing a series the government did put emphasis on the pro-child to hijack and divert our attention from those Residents Pilot Scheme. PRH, with the possibility of a regu- of targeted measures progressively policies, with a vision for the future. For instance, positive ideas. Facing this situation, a focused Engage the URA to redevelop larized cash allowance program by to alleviate their plight. the after-school care program is strengthened by Policy Address would be a good one. CE’s address included welcome points, could have gone further

he annual Policy Address, where say that, while many of these announce- that explains why some of the other ing strengthened support for, and for the chief executive sets out the ments of mostly land and housing policy causes of discontent were not addressed. research into, patients with less-common government’s plans for the year improvement initiatives are certainly wel- Foremost was o ering the Hong Kong diseases. ahead, has just been delivered by come, the package as a whole will likely public a decent pension — a point about On education, new term support grants video.T It was unfortunate, to say the least, not be enough to assuage all the current which I had a column on these pages just will be extended to a total of 900,000 that several rowdy Legislative Council anti-government protesters. recently? Or of doing more to help our pupils. More support for children with members caused such noise and unseem- Addressing the problems of the scar- young people enter the workforce at the special needs is also forthcoming. The ly disorder in the chamber that, despite Paul Surtees city and crippling expense of domestic appropriate level? And of course, many working family allowances will be The author is a veteran commentator on making two brave attempts, the CE was housing in Hong Kong was, rightly, a key citizens will be disappointed that little increased and also in terms of the num- Hong Kong social issues and honorary not able to deliver her speech there in theme of this address. The raft of pro- was said of any plans to make Hong Kong bers so helped. Better facilities to be pro- lifetime adviser to the Hong Kong Federa- vided at play areas in public open spaces person. tion of the Blind. posed methods of tackling this problemat- more democratic. In this troubled year of the most fre- ic and longstanding issue includes many A number of welcome improvements and parks may encourage more time in quent, the highest-attended and the most Further creative govern- welcome steps. The various methods to public transport were announced. the open air for our children, and less widespread disruptive street protests — to increase land supply outlined in this These included the extension of MTR time spent on their computers or iPhones! including the most corrosive violence — it ment initiatives and early speech, plus the range of ways announced train routes; waiving or reducing tunnel These points are all to the good, and must be abundantly clear to all observers action are still needed over to tackle the shortage and una ordability fees; giving more generous monthly sup- will enhance many lives. But sadly, this by now that very many Hong Kong people of housing units, represent many appro- port under the public transport subsidy Policy Address will be seen by some as are discontented. They are demand- such deep-rooted causes of priate steps in the right direction, and program; providing greater fi nancial o ering rather too little, too late. Some ing broad new initiatives from the SAR are all to be applauded. To its credit, this backup to the outlying islands ferries; and people are already saying it was a missed government — a government that many complaint as the pension- government has produced a vast array buying 47 new and “greener’’ ferryboats. opportunity to announce a bold and of them vilify. What a shame that some less Mandatory Provident of planned improvements, which the CE Nice though these measures sound, they comprehensive plan for a much brighter members didn’t even want to listen to and everyone else hopes will eventually are proposed at a time when weekly ram- future for Hong Kong. these policy announcements from the CE Fund Scheme; the growing lead to every Hong Kong family owning pant vandalism against our MTR stations So, further creative government initia- within LegCo! its own home — a fi ne objective, indeed. occurs. Perhaps measures on securing tives and early action are still needed over So — to what extent has this formal wealth gap; the perceived But how many generations will it take for MTR assets should be prioritized. such deep-rooted causes of complaint as announcement of government plans limited chances of social or such a lofty ambition to be realized? Laudable e orts are to be made to the pension-less Mandatory Provident addressed the main causes of deep dis- The CE stated clearly at the start that address the needs of our ever-more-aging Fund Scheme; the growing wealth gap; content which are these days so vocifer- financial mobility, etc. there was not enough time to fully pre- population by improving and expanding the perceived limited chances of social or ously expressed? One analysis would pare for her third Policy Address. Perhaps public healthcare facilities; plus provid- fi nancial mobility, etc.