The Secretary for Transport and Public Works said on Sunday that the government is studying a proposal that would see non-residents paying more to get on a bus.
According to the Macau Television (TDM), Raimundo do Rosário said the proposal is a way of showing “positive discrimination” towards Macau residents.
If the move goes ahead it could affect over one quarter of the Macau population. Those who are not Macau ID holders may start paying more to get the bus, when using Macau Pass.
The decision has not yet been made, but the government’s proposal to have different bus fares for residents and non-residents aims to give more privileges to Macau ID holders.
The government assures there will be a consultation before any further decision is made.
Rosario admits the idea may be seen as discriminatory, but in a positive way: “This distinction aims to provide more support for the Macau residents. It’s a positive discrimination towards the residents”.
The Secretary said the suggestion is still under consultation and there’s not yet a final decision. The proposal was announced by the Transport Bureau and was introduced by the Traffic Services Committee.
More than 176,000 people work in Macau under the blue-card scheme, with the majority coming from mainland China, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam not to mention western countries.
They make up for more than 27 percent of the population and would be among those affected with this change. The government assures there will be a consultation before any further decision is made.
