More than 100,000 disqualified from consumption vouchers: financial chief

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said more than 100,000 Hong Kong emigrants would be disqualified from receiving consumption vouchers, which was expected to save the government more than HK$600 million in public expenditure.  

As the second phase of consumption vouchers will be disbursed on August 7, some 240,000 people have received SMS messages from the government saying they do not meet the eligibility as they have applied for early withdrawal of their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) or Occupational Retirement benefits for "permanent departure from Hong Kong."   

Chan said in an interview that 135,000 have submitted applications for review and will be handled as leniently as possible. About 100,000 people who have not applied for review will lose their eligibility, which could save more than HK$600 million in public expenditure.  

Chan agreed that people who have emigrated should be disqualified from receiving consumption vouchers, but it was challenging for the government to identify those who have actually emigrated.  

Since citizens can use different travel documents when entering and leaving the city, it is difficult to determine whether they have emigrated based on their records.  

However, residents who have declared permanent departure from Hong Kong and withdrawn their MPF benefits must make a declaration and submit evidence or be prima facie ineligible to receive the vouchers.