Lawmakers have attacked the government for not banning telephone marketing calls despite hearing that four out of five recipients said such calls caused inconvenience.
The administration has instead proposed a voluntary code of practice. Senior officials told the legislature's information technology and broadcasting panel yesterday that this was unlikely to put an end to the nuisance, but the measures at this stage should not kill off small businesses. The telecoms watchdog Ofta commissioned two surveys - on the public and the industry - in a year-long study of how to regulate calls made by people as distinct from automated calls, which are already subject to legislation.
It concluded there was no 'overwhelming case' to regulate these calls by legislation and proposed a voluntary code of practice with four major sectors.
The public survey found that 81 per cent of 967 interviewees said the calls had caused them inconvenience. But 13 per cent said they had gained benefits, such as discounts and gifts, while 21 per cent said they had made transactions in the calls.
Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong Ka-wah said there had been a strong public outcry about marketing calls.
'I wonder what the government is waiting for after 81 per cent of people declared their views,' he said. 'It is nonsense to say a ban will hinder business development. Companies can always opt for advertising.'
Lawmaker Wong Ting-kwong of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said the public was tired of nuisance calls.