Thousands take to Macau's streets in diverse protest
Young and old join union-led rally in support of more public housing and less corruption
Thousands of protesters from seven unions and federations took to the streets in Macau yesterday to express a range of demands, from requests for more public housing, less corruption and a handout of 10,000 patacas from the government.
The people gathered at three meeting points at about 1pm to submit their petitions to representatives of the Macau government and Beijing's liaison office.
Most of those in the protest organised by the Workers Save Ourselves Union were elderly. Union director Cheong Weng-fat said its members were mainly grass-roots workers like cleaners and construction workers.
Jerry Wong Wai-hong, 17, one of the few younger people at the protest, said property prices were too high and there was collusion between government and business. He decried "black-box operations" like the sale of land near Macau airport for the luxury La Scala development, which was reversed after a graft scandal.
Unemployed construction worker Si Ka-lin, 53, said housing was expensive and there were too many foreign workers. "The government should build more public housing to accommodate more people and create job opportunities," he said.
An elderly woman said she had come to ask the government for 10,000 patacas.