'Virus Relief Must Go To Workers, Not Bosses'

Rival politicians have come together to call on the government to ensure that its next round of coronavirus relief funding goes directly to workers in need rather than employers who might not pass any of the cash on.

Wong Kwok-kin from the pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions and Fernando Cheung of the pro-democracy Labour Party said businesses had been the main beneficiary of a first round of relief funding, and an expected second round of measures should go straight to employees.

"There are a lot of employees who are taking mandatory leave without pay, they've got their work cut back and their income come back. Of course some of them have lost their jobs," Cheung said.

"We think that the second round should go directly to the employees or the self-employed, instead of the first round, which went only to the employers."

The government has said it is continuing to look at ways to support the economy during the coronavirus pandemic and it is working out the details of further support measures.

An order this week to close bars for a fortnight has put further pressure on the catering sector, while retailers are struggling and tourism has ground to a halt.