The government’s second phase of consumption vouchers will be officially issued on August 7, but recently, some citizens have received SMS notifications from the government, saying that they had withdrawn MPF early on the grounds of “permanently leaving Hong Kong”, which did not meet the new requirements. Eligibility for receiving coupons. Yesterday, citizens continued to flock to the Government Temporary Service Center, in order to meet the 14-day deadline indicated in the text message to submit their appeal materials.
The government issued the second stage of consumption vouchers, adding the requirement of “not leaving Hong Kong permanently or intending to leave Hong Kong permanently”, among which the early receipt of MPF on the grounds of “permanently leaving Hong Kong” is one of the considerations. However, recently, many citizens who have returned to live in Hong Kong following receiving the MPF in advance have received text messages from the government, saying that they do not meet the requirements of the authorities and will not be issued second-stage consumption coupons.
Some public housing residents said that they had lived in Hong Kong for decades and only withdrawn from MPF in 2008. He also pays more than 20,000 yuan in tax every year. He doesn’t understand why new arrivals from the Mainland are also issued consumer coupons, but he himself was sent a text message saying that he might not receive consumer coupons.
At the Government Temporary Service Center in Kwun Tong Viewpoint Center, dozens of citizens came to the scene yesterday morning to complain because they were disqualified from receiving consumption coupons. Ms. Chen (pseudonym), who returned to Hong Kong following withdrawing MPF early 10 years ago, said that following queuing for regarding 25 minutes yesterday, the staff gave her a form to sit down and fill in the information, and asked to transcribe “I have withdrawn MPF before, and I do not. I have no intention to leave Hong Kong permanently and I can provide supporting documents, and I have already made contributions to the MPF”. She can leave following submitting a copy of her tax return and employment certificate to the staff.
Citizens who have received the SMS and who think they are eligible and have returned to Hong Kong for many years can submit a written representation to the Secretariat within 14 days of receiving the SMS. The review form can be downloaded from the Consumer Coupon Programme website or via the hotline 18 5000 request. The Secretariat will review its justification and evidence.
A government spokesman said that the secretariat would notify applicants in writing of the review results within six weeks. As of Tuesday (12th), the secretariat had received regarding 4,000 relevant representations.
Government: Secretariat cannot access information at will
In response to questions from the outside world that the authorities sent disqualification SMS messages to citizens who had received MPF early but had already returned to Hong Kong to work and pay taxes, a government spokesman explained that the Secretariat cannot freely access other information of individual registrants. For example, according to the Inland Revenue Ordinance Under the Confidentiality Clause, the Inland Revenue Department cannot disclose taxpayers’ information, including whether they have paid tax in a certain financial year. However, if members of the public get back their MPF funds early and then return to Hong Kong and join the MPF scheme once more, MPF trustees do not need to notify the MPFA for this, so the MPFA does not have relevant information.
Originally published on AM730 https://www.am730.com.hk/local/Have received MPF early – not issued a consumption coupon – subject to appeal within 14 days – the Secretariat receives 4000 appeals/328771