Give credit to fund donors, tycoon urges
The newly created HK$10 billion Community Care Fund will not help ease public sentiment against businesses if corporate donors are not given the chance to take credit for their generosity, tycoon James Tien Pei-chun says.
The former Liberal party chairman, who earlier proposed a similar fund, also urged the government to attract a wider range of donors on top of the property developers who have pledged their support so far.
'All over the world, rich people make donations to charities in order to improve their own image or the image of their companies,' he said. 'Their enthusiasm would be undermined if they are not given the chance to claim credit.'
The fund to help the poor, in which the government will match donations from the business sector, was announced by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in his policy address as part of measures to address the widening wealth gap.
Critics have questioned how the government would use the money to complement the service already provided for underprivileged groups under the social welfare system.
They also questioned whether the decision to put Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen in charge of the fund would amount to an unfair advantage to him as a potential candidate in the 2012 chief executive election.
Tien said the fund could not be successful if businesses were not involved to a greater extent than the level expected under the present arrangement.
'People will thank a businessman if he is seen to give handouts. But if the government gets the donations and that's it, then it would not help alleviate the hatred against rich people,' he said.
'If it is the government officials who are seen giving out the cheque, the poor people will say: 'It is the government's responsibility to help us'.'
Tien had proposed setting up a smaller fund, which would see big business donating to projects to help the poor, and sending their staff to take part in schemes such as renovation of rundown districts.
'It would be nice if poor people see top executives of businesses showing their care on any given Saturday and Sunday,' Tien said on Commercial Radio yesterday.
He said the fund launched by Tsang was too narrow. 'It seems this is another kind of tax only for Chinese property developers.'
Tien said other international conglomerates and banks should also be involved, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, to show the public that the fund was fully backed by the business community.
He said deciding where the money goes would pose a big challenge for Tang, because the government would have more constraints in balancing interests in different sectors.
That was why the donors might consider limiting their support at a later stage if the donation could not help create a positive image for businesses, Tien said.
