雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】WITHOUT a shadow of a doubt, the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) system is one of the sources of Hong Kong's many deep-seated conflicts. It is an unjust arrangement, and has worsened the antagonism between employees and employers as well as working people's dissatisfaction with the government. While the authorities are well aware of this and have introduced measures to improve the MPF system, the slow pace of reform has been unable to meet the practical needs of society. Yesterday it was reported that the abolishment of the offsetting mechanism would be proposed in the policy address to be published next January. It is our hope that Hong Kong people will not be let down again and that Leung Chun-ying will have the determination to tackle the thorny issue.

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本港衆多的深層次矛盾，強積金肯定是其中之一，其不公義實質，加深了勞資對立和打工仔對政府的怨懟。當局知道箇中利害，也提出優化措施意圖補救，只是改革進度太慢，未能符合實際需要。昨日有傳媒報道說明年1月的施政報告將提出取消對冲機制，期望今次並非再一次狼來了，而是梁振英已有決心處理這個棘手問題。

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The report quoted a government source as saying that, in order to save employers from "committing too much" and reduce opposition from the business community, the government is planning to introduce a new, non-retroactive measure. In other words, contributions made by employers before the effective date can still be used for offsetting purposes. Employers' contributions made after that date, however, will be barred from serving such purposes. When answering questions asked by the media, Matthew Cheung, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, did not deny that the government was planning to abolish the offsetting mechanism, saying merely that the government was listening to different views and had not sided with any of them as yet. He added that the abolishment of the offsetting mechanism was a complicated matter, and that in order to choose the right way for Hong Kong, the government had to find a balance between different aspects.

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報道引述政府消息人士透露，為免僱主要一次過作出太大承擔，減少商界反對聲音，政府構思新措施不會有追溯力，容許實施日期前的僱主供款，仍然可以對冲，即是實施後的僱主新供款，才會取消對冲。勞工及福利局長張建宗回答記者提問時，並未否定政府正構思取消對冲機制，只說現在處於聆聽階段，未有傾向看法。他同時強調取消對冲是複雜的事，必須平衡各方面，找到適合的路。

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When it comes to the MPF system, most working people are gnashing their teeth. It is because under the system, a myriad of deductions are made from their hard-earned money, making what is left too meagre to support their retirement. Consider the management fees and the returns. According to the latest information released by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU), which releases such information regularly, there are altogether 38 MPF plans on the market, which are linked to 537 funds. The yearly expenditure on these funds has exceeded $10 billion. It has been fifteen years since MPF system was introduced, and its total accumulated assets amount to around $600 billion. Let us assume that the yearly expenditure on these funds is $5 billion. Over the past 15 years, employees have given $75 billion to banks, insurance companies, fund managers, etc.

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打工仔每提起強積金，大多咬牙切齒，因為辛勤所得竟然被七除八扣，只剩一個桔，不足以維持退休生活。先說強積金的管理費和回報。根據工聯會定期發布的強積金最新資料，市面有38個強積金計劃涉及537隻基金，年度實際基金開支已經突破100億元；強積金實行了15年，資產累積約6000億元。若每年基金開支平均為50億元，則打工仔已經給銀行、保險公司、基金經理等相關人等奉獻了750億元。

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When the MPF system first came into operation, its trustees maintained that, since the system needed capital to run and since there was not much capital at the beginning, high management fees would be inevitable. The trustees said that, when the system began to run smoothly and accumulate capital, the management fees would be lower. Such a theory has now proved to be an exploded myth. According to studies conducted by the HKFTU, MPF yearly expenditure was around $4 billion eight years ago. It has now exceeded $10 billion. In other words, while the size of the working population has stayed largely the same over the past eight years, the expenditure has jumped by 150 per cent. The only logical explanation is that unreasonably high profits are being made from the MPF system.

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委託人說過強積金成立之初，因為需要投入資本，而資產不多，管理費高昂是必然的事，待運作底定和資產增加之後就會相應下調，云云。這些說辭，事實證明一派胡言。按工聯會的研究，8年前的強積金實際基金開支約40億元，現在突破100億元，期內打工仔人數沒有特別增長，開支卻增加了150%；若非牟取暴利，根本無法解釋。

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As a policy, the MPF system has failed to achieve its objectives. Its injustice has been completely exposed. It is very bizarre that a retirement system has become a goose that lays golden eggs for the finance industry. Furthermore, the injustice of the MPF system is destroying the social fabric of Hong Kong. To a certain extent, it has contributed to the antagonism between the rich and the poor and Hong Kong people's dissatisfaction with the government. The government must have the determination to fix the MPF system. Otherwise, it will be impossible for society to be harmonious, and society's antagonism and dissatisfaction could accumulate into a time bomb that threatens society stability. The bomb has to be defused as soon as possible.

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強積金制度未能達至政策目標，其不公義實質已經暴露無遺，一個退休制度竟然成為替金融界生金蛋的鵝，委實咄咄怪事。另外，強積金的不公義，正在侵蝕香港的肌體，社會貧富對立，市民怨懟政府，一定程度與此有關。因此，政府務必拿出決心整治，否則社會不可能和諧，而對立和怨懟持續累積，也有可能成為衝擊社會安定的計時炸彈，必須及早拆除。

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明報社評2015.09.17

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Ms LUI, Emily Nga-kwan

Lecturer, HKCC

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/LUI,_Emily_Nga-kwan-130.html

周文駿

香港理工大學專上學院講師

www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/CHOW,_Raymond_Wen-chun-92.html

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