Briefs | Lawmaker proposes schools join pensions fund

Lawmaker Ella Lei has proposed for the local government to include schools in the non-mandatory central provident fund. In her most recent interpellation to the government, Lei suggested that all non-teaching staff of educational institutions should be given the chance to join the fund. Lei explained that public school operations depend mostly on public funds, thus these institutions should be key targets to be included in the fund. The fund includes a joint provident fund scheme and an individual provident fund scheme. The former type requires employers and employees to contribute toward the pension, whereas the latter suggests that contributors have complete discretion. A total of 156 employers have joined the fund system, with social service organizations accounting for the majority. The rest include public entities, hotels, restaurants, and gaming, education, finance, retail, and medical organizations, among other commercial organizations. Approximately 40,000 residents have participated in the individual provident fund scheme.

15 marketing call data cases registered until May

The Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP) registered 15 cases of personal data infringement related to marketing phone calls in the first five months of 2020. Yesterday, a community advisory body cited the GPDP when referring to personal data infringement cases from January to May. In total, the GPDP handled 52 cases. Among the 15 phone call disturbances, seven cases have already been closed by the office. In 2019, the office issued a total of MOP929,000 in fines to parties that violated personal data regulations. This amount is equivalent to the sum of the fines issued across the 10 years before 2019. Members of the advisory body proposed that the GPDP increase the scale of fines after criticizing that the number of cases does not reflect the actual situation.

Lawmaker wants more urban renewal committee meetings

Lawmaker Wong Kit Cheng has requested that the Urban Renewal Committee arrange meetings more frequently. Between October and December last year, the government conducted a 60-day public consultation on the urban renewal regime. As of today, more than half a year has passed since the committee held its last meeting. Wong urged the government to hold committee meetings more regularly, suggesting the committee should conduct more meetings in order to fulfill its function as an advisory body. The lawmaker also demanded the local government explain to the public its methods to protect property ownership and ways to compensate house owners during urban renewal processes. Wong wants the local government to speed up the legislation procedure for the urban renewal regime.