Manufacturers' lobby to raise political role
A major local manufacturers' association hopes to increase its political influence through communication with mainland and Hong Kong authorities, its new chief said yesterday.
Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong president Paul Yin Tek-shing said members were 'encouraged to keep their eyes on the city's constitutional development and to participate in politics by joining elections and advisory bodies'.
However, it was too early to say whether the association would form a political party to represent its interests, Mr Yin said. 'We are more concerned with voicing our views on political issues at this stage,' he said, adding that the move was to prevent being marginalised.
Reflecting this thinking, the association has upgraded its political concern group to a committee. It will be led by newly elected vice-president Lam Tai-fai.
Mr Lam, a close aide to Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen when he worked for Mr Tang's family textile business, was recently appointed a Sha Tin district councillor by the administration and made a committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference by the central government.
Mr Lam is tipped to stand for election in place of incumbent Lui Ming-wah in the industrial functional constituency in September's Legislative Council election. But Mr Yin said it was premature for the association to say who would be its candidate.
On government plans to introduce new rules, for business, Mr Yin said the manufacturers' association would support a minimum wage for cleaners and security guards if the government's voluntary 'wage protection movement' covering those sectors was shown to have failed.
Mr Yin added: 'I do not oppose introduction of a statutory minimum wage for all sectors.'
