The Legislative Assembly’s (AL) 2nd Standing Committee met with government officials yesterday to discuss details of the government’s proposed amendments to the Macau Public Administration Staff Statute, such as that 50 would become the maximum entry age for public servants.
Legislators and officials discussed the amendment bill during a closed-door meeting at the legislature in Nam Van
In a meeting with the media after the meeting, the chairman of the committee, indirectly-elected lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo noted that the bill also proposes to raise the birth allowance for public servants’ children by 10 salary points, from the current 60 points to 70 points, i.e., from 5,640 patacas to 6,580 patacas.
Regarding sick leave regulations, the bill also proposes that medical certificates must be issued by doctors from hospitals, health centres, health stations and non-profit medical institutions that have signed agreements with the Health Bureau (SSM) to provide medical services to public servants.
Regarding the suggestion by some lawmakers to allow sick leave certificates from private hospitals for public servants, the bill maintains the current restrictions, requiring certification only from designated public or contracted non-profit providers. Chan cited government officials as stating that allowing private clinics to issue sick leave certificates was not currently under consideration by the government, citing concerns that “expanding the scope too broadly” could lead to regulatory challenges.
Chan also said that regarding the employment age for public servants, the bill proposes that 50 is the maximum entry age for public servants. Previously, applicants could join at any age between 18-65.
Moreover, the bill clearly states 65 as the mandatory retirement age for public servants – except chief and director level, Chan said.
Lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo (right), who chairs the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) 2nd Standing Committee, and the committee’s secretary, Lam Lon Wai, pose during yesterday’s press briefing after the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) 2nd Standing Committee closed-door meeting with government officials at the legislature in Praia Grande (Nam Van). – Photo courtesy of TDM
