

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Samantha Butler and Ben Tse2023-06-07
Wednesday
Now playing: 足本播放 Play full episode
Selected audio segments:
A third of firms downsize amid labour shortages
Listen


One of the city’s biggest business groups has urged the authorities to import labour to address manpower shortages. A recent survey by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce found 36 percent of companies had either downsized, closed or were planning to move all or some of their operations elsewhere due to a lack of workers. Of the 196 firms that took part in the survey in April, 74 percent reported manpower shortages, and over 80 percent of those said the problem had lasted for more than a year. The chamber's CEO, George Leung, told Ada Au that the SAR's working population shrank by some 220,000 people from 2019, leading to shortages across many industries:
Exco approves pay rises for civil servants
Listen


The Executive Council has endorsed the results of the annual pay trend survey. It is now proposed a 2.87 percent pay increase for senior civil servants, and a 4.65 percent rise for middle and lower-ranking staff. Vanessa Cheng reports:
Govt urged to improve civil servants' benefits
Listen


Unionist lawmaker Lam Chun-sing says the proposed pay rise for civil servants can boost morale but more should be done to retain and attract government workers. He told Kelly Yu the increment can enhance living standards for lower-ranking staff, but officials should also think of ways to improve their welfare:
Civil service unions unhappy with pay hikes
Listen


Civil service unions were much less happy about the proposed wage increases. The president of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants' Association, Li Kwai-yin, said they would not help wages catch up with inflation. The Senior Government Officers Association said officials ignored the efforts of civil servants in serving the government and the public. Kelly Yu reports:
Authorities seek to stop performances of protest song
Listen


The Department of Justice is seeking a court order to ban anyone from performing or playing the 2019 protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong', if - that is - they have "a seditious intention" or are trying to incite people to commit secession. But a spokesman for the government says the move serves to clarify what constitutes a criminal offence with regard to the song. Priscilla Ng reports:
Exco member cautions against personal use of protest song
Listen


Executive councillor Ronny Tong says it might be the first time an injunction order has been sought to prevent the wrongful use of a song. Tong, who is a senior counsel, said the Department of Justice was only looking to ban the use of the protest song, in violation of the national security law. He also said personal use of the song, without sharing or performing it, might not be problematic. But he told Frank Yung that people should not test the court order if it is granted:
Sheung Shui housing proposal labelled 'absurd'
Listen


A member of a think tank has labelled as "absurd" a proposal to use farmland in Sheung Shui for housing. The Heung Yee Kuk rural body said it would be better to build 12,000 public flats there, instead of taking back nine hectares from the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. But Brian Wong from the Liber Research Community, says the Sheung Shui site is not abandoned as claimed, and is one of the best farmlands in Hong Kong. He told Samantha Butler that the immediate availability of the golf course land meant it was still the best option:
Mother in court over young daughters' deaths
Listen


A young woman is due to appear in Kowloon City court on Wednesday charged with murder over the deaths of her three young daughters. Chief Executive John Lee has expressed sorrow over their deaths and says he is seeking to get the private sector involved in tackling the problems raised by this and last week's double murder in Diamond Hill. As Mike Weeks reports, he also called on the public to protect children and help those in need:
Top court grants Yoga ball murderer leave to appeal
Listen


The Court of Final Appeal has granted permission for a former Chinese University academic to appeal his conviction over the notorious yoga ball murders eight years ago. The Malaysian anaesthesiologist was found guilty of murdering his wife and daughter and sentenced to life imprisonment. Ada Au reports:
Food Angel pilots cooked food vending machines
Listen


Food Angel is launching a new initiative using automated cooked food dispensers to distribute meals to isolated elderly citizens. In partnership with the Hong Kong Bank Foundation, its “Hearty Meal Express” initiative aims to hand out around 900,000 meals over three years. Emma Leung, a manager of partnership and resource department at Food Angel, said eligible elderly need only tap their Octopus cards onto the machines to receive their meals. She told Ben Tse that she hoped the initiative could help the elderly reconnect with the community:
Olympian Sarah Lee retires from cycling
Listen


Hong Kong's cycling queen Sarah Lee has announced that she is officially retiring from the sport. As Hailey Yip reports, the double Olympic medal winner plans to take up coaching in the future: