MPF officials dodging public debate
I refer to the letter from Heidi Kwan of the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Authority, where she talked about extensive public discussion for the MPF (South China Morning Post, December 18).
In 1992, the Government shelved an MPF-style scheme after an extensive public consultation exercise. This scheme was only revived later after heavy lobbying from special-interest groups, including insurance companies and banks. It appears the general public was ignored in the consultation process.
Our organisation, the Association of International Co-operation of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, arranged a debate on the MPF before its official launch last year. Initially, the MPF Schemes Authority declined to attend, but then sent representatives who made a brief appearance before disappearing under a barrage of embarrassing questions from the audience.
I recently attended two RTHK forums in which schemes authority officials also declined invitations to attend.
Apparently the authority does not see the necessity of explaining to the public how the MPF scheme has performed in the past year. I invite Ms Kwan and her colleagues to come down from their ivory tower. The Government should issue a public consultation paper, discussing whether or not the MPF scheme should continue. Would the MPF Schemes Authority oppose this because it is scared many small- and medium-sized enterprises now see that the MPF is impractical, a violation of individual rights and should therefore be abolished?
PHYLLIS KWONG
Chairperson
The Association of International Co-operation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
