- Financial secretary says decision was already being discussed before it was announced hours after island state’s move to cut ministerial wages
- He insists it is about showing solidarity and directly helping people, which would be more effective than simply reducing the pay of officials
Hong Kong's finance minister has denied that the government was following Singapore's example by having top officials donate a month's salary to charity amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Saturday said the move was made because of the difficult economic situation the city was facing, and to show solidarity with residents.
The decision, revealed on Friday night, followed Singapore's announcement earlier in the day to cut the salary of its ministers and members of parliament by a month, while senior public service officers would give up half a month of their pay.
Chan added that Hong Kong's move to further donate the officials' wages to charity carried a "double meaning", since it could directly help the needy.
In Hong Kong, the total monthly salaries of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, bureau directors, undersecretaries and non-official members of the Executive Council would add up to more than HK$10 million (US$1.3 million).
Most of this amount will be donated to the Community Chest, while Exco members can decide where their money will go.
Exco convenor Bernard Chan, meanwhile, donated HK$250,000 " equivalent to about two months of his salary " to help five local NGOs without government subsidies.
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Paul Chan insisted the decision was not made because of political pressure.
"It's a coincidence," Chan said on a radio programme, referring to Singapore's move. "Tiding over the hard times with residents was always our intention … As everyone has been discussing (this) recently, we reached a decision on it."
Lam's current monthly salary is HK$416,500, while those of her 16 cabinet ministers range from HK$335,100 to HK$371,500. Non-official Exco members earn about HK$83,050 a month, while political assistants " another group included in the move " make up to HK$117,300.
On why officials did not go for a standard pay cut, Chan said: "Reducing salaries is of course meaningful to help the treasury save money. But at the same time, everyone feels there are many people who are in need in society. So how about we donate the salaries to charity?
"Then we can directly help people and have a double meaning."
He added that cutting the salaries of officials would not necessarily be more effective in delivering the message of support for Hongkongers.
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"When colleagues donate their one month's pay, it also means their annual salary has been reduced. So it's just a different format," he said.
Education minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said after another radio programme that the move was not meant to earn applause from the public.
Hong Kong businesses have been hammered by the months-long civil unrest that erupted last June, sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill, coupled with the coronavirus outbreak, as restaurant chains suspend operations, airlines cut flights and firms ask staff to go on unpaid leave.
The city's unemployment rate hit 3.4 per cent between last November and January, the highest in more than three years.
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