The Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ (UGAMM) office in Guangdong served Guangdong and Macau residents 269,000 times last year, including Macau residents served 27,000 times, representing a year-on-year increase of 51 percent, Tian Yi, who heads the union’s office in Guangdong, said yesterday.
The union, commonly known as Kai Fong in Cantonese, held a press conference at its premises in Toi San district regarding its 2024 annual review, during which the findings of its survey on the opportunities and challenges of Macau residents’ integration into the nation’s development were also released.
With over 1,800 activities being held, the office last year followed up on 25 cases concerning Macau residents, answered 2,100 enquiries from Macau residents, and assisted 333 Macau residents in handling Central Provident Fund matters, 158 Macau residents in joining the Zhongshan Medical Insurance Scheme, and 145 Macau residents in applying for mainland public transport cards, and other related services, Tian said.
Over the past year, public satisfaction, evaluation and service professionalism of the office have been enhanced, Tian said, adding that in the future, his office will continue to deepen its services for Macau residents to respond to the increasing demands.
According to the findings, the 500 interviewees expressed the highest satisfaction with the reformed customs clearance policy between Macau and the mainland, while having the lowest satisfaction with employment policies in the mainland.
Macau residents’ perception of the mainland’s policies that benefit Macau is limited, and the policies lack stability, the findings show, suggesting that the local government set up a special policy monitoring and evaluation mechanism, as well as a permanent communication mechanism, to collect data on Macau residents’ actual needs and suggestions, and also to adjust the content and implementation of the policies in a timely manner.
At the same time, the government should strengthen the legal framework to ensure policy stability and continuity, the findings show.
Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations’ (UGAMM) Office Director Tian Yi (centre) and other representatives of the office pose before a press conference yesterday on its premises in Toi San district. – Photo: Ginnie Liang
