The Macau SAR government is considering introducing regulations to prevent one person or an organization from receiving multiple subsidies from different public funds. The media learnt about this potential plan during a press conference held yesterday by the Follow-Up Committee for the Public Financial Affairs at the Legislative Assembly (AL).
Currently, an applicant, regardless of whether they are an individual or an organization, is allowed to apply for multiple subsidies from different public funds, including the Macao Foundation and the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT).
These funds are all government-owned public organizations that subsidize local communities for the future prosperity of Macau.
Yesterday, the AL committee held a meeting discussing the operation of the Macao Foundation, as well that of other autonomous foundations related to the education sector.
The committee members were concerned about a situation in which “one person benefits from all.”
“The government said that it is currently implementing a policy that prevents one applicant from receiving multiple subsidies, and that the policy is applicable only for scholarships or educational financial assistance,” said Mak Soi Kun, chairman of the committee, citing a government explanation.
The policy allows every applicant to apply for a scholarship for educational financial assistance from more than one fund. It also recommends the applicant choose the most suitable fund when applying for the money. However, the government vets the application details of each applicant to ensure that the applicant only gets subsidies from one of the entities.
“The fund granting the subsidy to the applicant must learn whether the receiving applicant [has already received money from another fund],” Mak said, citing the government.
The lawmakers want the government authority to set clear boundaries and authorizations between the Macao Foundation and other education funds.
“Stricter policies” and “one subsidy only” are the two plans the government currently has in mind for every applicant, both individuals and organizations.
Presently, the majority of Macau’s funds receive subsidy applications all year round.
“In the future, the government will set up a list of quotas, and will not receive applications for subsidies all year round,” said Mak.
While the authority intends to shorten the application period for subsidies, the government is also planning to demand more requisites.
“For monitoring, the applicant must submit a balance sheet [prepared] by a professional accountant should the concerned activities related to the subsidy be special cases,” said Mak.
Besides the large Macao Foundation, the government is also considering applying the “one subsidy only” strategy to target the foundation for higher education, the foundation for education development and the foundation for student welfare.
“The committee agrees with the government that there should be only one centralized department to manage all these funds,” said Mak. This centralized organization will be the only department receiving subsidy applications related to projects involved in the Macao Foundation and other educational foundations. This centralized organization will collect the applications and distribute them to the relevant foundation in order to avoid one applicant making multiple applications.
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