The People’s Alliance of Macau (API –民眾建澳聯盟), a civic association, said during a press conference yesterday that it would promote the government’s Legal Regime of Fire Safety in Buildings and Enclosures this year.
The law, which took effect last August, aims to protect and safeguard people’s lives and property, as well as to lower the impact brought by fire hazards to the environment.
API Vice Presidents AoIeong Kuong Kao and Yuan Hanjun co-hosted the press conference and an award ceremonyat its headquarters in Estrada Marginal do Hipódromo
The press conference also shared the group’s tasks carried out in local buildings last year. An award ceremony for its volunteers was held after the press conference, which also introduced the association’s newly established division called Community’s Building Services Centre (社區大廈服務中心),
Regarding other plans for this year, API said in a statementthat it will promote the Housing Bureau’s (IH) Building Repair Fund (樓宇維修基金) plan.
The statement noted that API hosted 15 activities and followed up more than 1,000 cases which were related to building services last year. Moreover, API assisted in hosting 43 condominium owners’ meetings, including 36 in private buildings and seven for home-ownership scheme (HOS) buildings, the statement underlined.
API handled more than 160 cases of water leakage and blocked pipes last year, the statement said.
The statement noted that API held talks last year with government entities to allow residents to learn more about environmental protection, public security, fire protection, and building management.
The statement said that API is currently assisting104 buildings in developing their communal facility services, comprising 60 buildings in the northern district, 41 buildings in the central district and three buildings in the islands district.
Mainland workers’ desire to work in Macau drops: Ao Ieong
Ao Ieong, who is also the president of the Macau Overseas Worker Employment Agency Association, told reporters before the press conference that frequent nucleic acid tests (NAT) has affected workers’ desire to work in Macau, adding that the number of new non-resident workers has decreased due to limited temporary accommodation for them and the requirement to hold a negative NAT certificate valid for just 48 hours.
Ao Ieong underlined that Macau has 110,000 non-resident workers from the mainland and 55,000 from Southeast Asia, including 70,000 to 80,000 who frequently commute between Zhuhai and Macau. Ao Ieong noted that the Association of [mainland] Chinese Capital Employment Agencies (Macau) has collected residency information about the 70,000 to 80,000 labourers.
Ao Ieong urged regular commuters between Macau and Zhuhaito only travel between their workplaces, homes and NAT stations.
People’s Alliance of Macau (API) Vice President Ao Ieong Kuong Kao addresses yesterday’s press conference hosted by the civic association on Estrada Marginal do Hipódromo. Photo: Ula Cheang
