Lam Wai Koi, who heads The Aurora of Grassroots Workers (No. 21 on the September 17 direct legislative election ballot), urges the government to treat all public sector employees equally by giving low-ranking public servants a housing allowance as well.
Lam, who heads the Macau Association of Low-Ranking Public Sector Staff, is the first-ranked candidate of the group while Ao Ion Hong is the second-ranked candidate. Lam’s group comprises five candidates.
Speaking to The Macau Post Daily yesterday when he was handing out flyers in Toi San district, Lam, who works at the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), said about 20,000 low-ranking public sector workers do not receive a housing allowance while permanent public servants are paid the allowance. Lam noted that the around 20,000 workers do not receive the housing allowance because they are covered by the government’s provident fund system.
According to official figures, the number of public sector employees directly employed by the government stood at 30,875 in March.
Permanent civil servants are paid an allowance of 3,320 patacas per month even after they retire.
Lam, who has worked for the government for over 30 years, said many retired low-ranking employees are facing financial difficulties, adding his group hoped the government will treat all public sector employees equally.
Lam also said all candidates of his group are low-ranking public servants, adding that if his group succeeds in its election bid, it will fight for the interests of low-ranking public servants.
Lam’s group is also proposing workers’ compensation insurance for low-ranking public servants who work in hazardous conditions, according to Lam.
Asked by The Macau Post Daily if he was confident of winning at least one seat in the legislature since there are two other groups who represent public servants – Power of Political Thought (P.P.P.), No. 10 on the ballot, and New Hope (NE), No. 6 on the ballot, headed by former civil servants Nelson Kot Man Kam and lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho respectively – are running in the election, Lam said: “If half of the 20,000 people [those who are covered by the provident fund system] vote for me, I will [surely] win.
“[Therefore,] it’s not about whether I am confident about myself. It’s about whether those who are covered by the provident fund system are confident about themselves”, Lam said.
Lam Wai Koi (left), who heads The Aurora of Grassroots Workers (No. 21 on the September 17 direct legislative election ballot), and his mother pose yesterday in Toi San district, accompanied by their dog. Photo: Debby Seng
