Department of Journalism and Communication "Hot Dialogue with Mr Cheng Yiu Tong, an EXCO member"

Chu Hai College of Higher Education invited Mr Cheng Yiu Tong, an EXCO member, to be our guest in the first episode of the students' forum series, "The Hot Dialogue". Mr Cheng expressed his views on Mr Donald Tsang Yam-Kuen's recent Policy Address at Kong Mou Sum Hall on October 11.

"The content is entirely catering for different needs of a wide spectrum... It maps out the road for further development." Cheng said moderately on the Policy address. "Ten major infrastructure projects will definitely create a lot of employment opportunities for the future and help lower the unemployment rate..."

However, he criticized that the benefits for the proposed Heath Voucher for the elderly is too small. Cheng envisaged that the Government will start the preparatory legislative work for the statutory minimum wage scheme next year, including the finalization of the definition of terms and the setting up of a formula for the minimum wage level.

Cheng was the subject of attack by the pan-democratic flagship against his earlier claim that there would be no universal suffrage in 2012. "Advocating something that cannot happen is actually cheating people. However the Government should keep an eye on preparing it in 2017 as the Central Government is also preparing for it...", he defended another challenge posed by a student."

Cheng also criticized both the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Democratic Party for their failure to support their own rising stars when he was asked to comment on Mrs Anson Chan and Mrs Regina Yip, who were supported by the two major camps to stand for the Hong Kong Island by-election in December.