HK$8,000 Handout Urged To 'make People Happy'

The New People's Party has called on the government to give an HK$8,000 cash handout to all permanent residents, saying this could make people happier amid social tensions.

"I think that would certainly make people feel happier," said the party's chairwoman Regina Ip, who is also an Executive Councillor.

"According to our contacts with the districts, when they received HK$4,000 in spite of a lot of hassle, they were happy," she said referring to the handout dispersed by the government under its "Caring and Sharing Scheme' earlier this year.

The party initiated a meeting with Financial Secretary Paul Chan more than half a year before his budget because it says the economy is expected to get weaker.

Ip denied that the proposal has anything to do with the upcoming district council elections.

"This year an economic downturn is very likely. I think the economists have predicted that this year's growth rate would be no more than 1 percent," said Ip. "Because of a prolonged China-US dispute and recent turmoil heavily damaging hotels, tourism, restaurants and businesses of many medium and small enterprises."