Exhibition of elderly workers sheds spotlight on Hong Kong's pension 'failures'
Exhibition of elderly workers highlights pension 'failures', activists say
To still be working aged 70 is not a milestone many Hongkongers are necessarily proud of - yet in a city lacking much of a social safety net for those who toiled all their lives, it can be inevitable.
Adding to the burden, the fact many companies enforce retirement at the age of 60 or 65 leaves some older workers turning to low-paid jobs or coping with insecure short-term contracts.
"I'd do any work - apart from stealing," says Wong Siu-ying, who earns a few thousand dollars a month handing out fliers, standing for up to five hours a shift. Despite being sick for the past three months, she is eager to get back to work.
Wong is one of several elderly Hongkongers whose story is told by photojournalist Lam Chun-tung in a new exhibition - organised by rights group the Society for Community Organisation - called "We Live", which opened at the Cultural Centre yesterday.
Lam chronicled his subjects' lives over three years, while articles telling their stories were prepared by volunteers.
The exhibition comes amid debate over the rights of elderly people and the possibility of a universal pension at a level far above the monthly HK$1,180 in so-called fruit money that is all most are eligible for.
"It's not good being reliant on society," Wong says of pensions. But she admits a universal payout of HK$3,000 per month would mean she would not need to "pinch every penny and eat less".
Lam set out to capture the reality of elderly people's daily lives rather than portraying them as "exceptionally sad".
"We get desensitised easily by sad photos. I wanted to show them as normal people in daily life, and hopefully make all of us think of the elderly around us and be more aware of the elderly in our daily lives," he said.
Lam found that housing made "the biggest difference" to people's lives.
"Those who live in public housing are much more relaxed and happier," he said. "The worst are those living in substandard housing - no rooms, no windows, a little cockloft."
Ng Wai-tung, from the society, said the fact so many people kept toiling reflected multiple failings by the government.
In August, a report commissioned by the government suggested a HK$3,000 per month pension for all - but, as Ng said, we've been here before.
"We had a public consultation on a universal pension in 1994," Ng says. "This is not progress but regression."
Ng says many Hongkongers working low-paid jobs were doing so out of need, not choice.
A case in point is Mak Kwok-hon. Having represented Hong Kong at soccer in the 1960s, he worked in television production at TVB, ran a business and drove a bus. Today he's a cleaner.
He returned to the city penniless after a failed mainland business venture and "couldn't stand" the two months he lived on government welfare.
He now earns enough for a cubicle in North Point, close to the mall he cleans at.
"If I can work, why not work?" he asked. "I know someone who retired, quit smoking and then died after two years."
