– When addressing the last legislative session 2023-2024, he stated that none or few of the policies implemented by the Government effectively improved the lives of the population. Can you explain?
Lei Leong Wong – I am always concerned about basic issues related to the lives of the population; are the most common problems. Regarding the issue of pensions for the elderly, for example, it is generally believed that it should be linked to the minimum subsistence index. The Government has its own interpretation, arguing that the benefits are already higher than the level needed to maintain a basic life. In my opinion, the Government’s current pension policy may not be able to adequately protect the rights and interests of older people. As it stands, the pension will only be readjusted when the inflation rate reaches 3%, but as it hasn’t reached that point yet, it hasn’t been readjusted for several years.
So, the old-age pension and the old-age subsidy are two completely different systems: the pension is used to support the retirement of the elderly, and the subsidy is a manifestation of respect and care for that community. We should not simply add up all social policies, such as cash checks, pensions for the elderly, health vouchers, etc., and then compare them to the minimum subsistence index.
The issue of employment is another example. Macau’s development effectively needs foreign workers. However, we always emphasize that there are certain jobs they hold that Macau residents want and are able to do. There are many large companies and high-end brands where Macau residents want to work, but they cannot get this opportunity because of foreign workers. We are not asking for everyone to be expelled, but priority should be given to local residents.
Furthermore, the housing policy introduced by the Government is positive in the long term, but many problems have arisen in the course of its implementation. The Administration has always said that different types of housing would be made available to meet the needs of different groups, but the current situation shows that the policy has not achieved the expected results. Unstable housing policy and a lack of transparency have considerably undermined community trust in the Government. These issues must be taken seriously and resolved by the next Government, to avoid a further deterioration of issues related to the lives of the population.
– He also mentioned that members of the Government have not responded satisfactorily to the questions raised by deputies. Can you give examples?
L.L.W. – From a rational and objective point of view, we fully understand that the Government does not have the conditions, resources and capacity to satisfy all community demands as soon as they are placed. What concerns us most is the attitude of employees in responding to them; whether they are meeting the community’s wishes, and whether they deal with the deputies’ proposals in a professional manner. The answers given by certain departments are very superficial. No matter how much evidence and data is provided, in the end we receive a brief answer, such as “this question has already been answered” or “similar questions have already been answered”. This doesn’t give people the impression of a friendly or positive interaction.
Although the questions asked by deputies may be repetitive, they should not be understood as a reason for superficial action. What is needed is for employees to take the issues seriously. If even the issues of deputies are treated in this way, imagine those of the general public. There must be a positive interaction between the Government and deputies; not just formal responses.
The key to the AL’s oversight role is not how it is carried out, but whether the Government is effectively tackling the problems. We don’t require employees to give long answers, but they should at least show that they are taking the issues seriously. Sometimes, employees’ sense of service and responsibility are more important than their ability. If they have a strong sense of service, they will be able to find solutions to problems, even if they are less competent.
In the future, what we would like to see is a spirit of service from the top down, which must be upheld by all public servants. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the accountability system in Public Administration. Good performance must be recognized, and poor performance must be dealt with accordingly. Only then can the overall progress of employees be promoted and a healthy management culture can be created.
A positive feedback and accountability mechanism is key to promoting healthy management development. I hope the next Government can do better in this regard.
– One of the functions of the Legislative Assembly is to supervise the Government. Couldn’t they be more assertive on certain issues?
L.L.W. – I am just one of the members of the AL and I cannot represent the position of all deputies. The key to monitoring the Government is knowing whether or not it is addressing the problem seriously. Even in the legislature, deputies can deal with different issues differently, for example, focusing on fighting for interests, debating motions or even discussing new bills, etc. In my opinion, the most important thing is that the Government takes community reactions seriously when managing public policies, especially with regard to livelihood issues. If they don’t feel like they need to explain it to the community, they can just do what they think is right without going into detail. This situation often leads to deputies having to ask follow-up questions to reveal more problems.
L.L.W. – The rights and interests of the elderly are the most urgent issues at this time. Housing is also very important, as is the issue of employment. Although there have been some improvements in the unemployment rate, the situation for young people remains very difficult.
Greater attention should be paid to these aspects in the new Administration. Part of the youth employment problem is technical or structural unemployment. In objective terms, it is not difficult for young people in Macau with higher education to find a job. The problem lies in the fact that they cannot find a job related to their profession.
It is necessary to reflect on this. Although statistics show some improvements, it is still necessary to analyze whether everyone can find a satisfactory job.
