Lawmakers suggest government to contribute to MPF

Lawmakers suggested the government to make Mandatory Provident Fund contributions for employers or suspend contributions at a special Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting today.

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, James Henry Lau, said the law does not allow the suspension of MPF contributions. He said the government will study how to support the capital needs of enterprises and help them with salary expenses.

Lawmakers also suggested the government to set up a permanent personal data system for distributing money.

Lau said the government agrees to the idea, but due to the strict data privacy law in Hong Kong, the information collected each time cannot be reused.

He also revealed that the application forms for the HK$10,000 cash handout announced in the Budget will have an option for allowing the government to keep personal data.