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confident that the scheme also says the Youth Development Com-
can help enhance com- mission are working hard on strength-
munication between ening the communication between the
the youth and the government and the youth.
government. Howev- Ma Ngok, Associate Professor of the
er, he thinks merely Department of Government and Public
counting on the MSSY Administration at CUHK is sceptical of
alone is not enough to the MSSY. He points out that members
increase the number Noel Shih of the MSSY can hardly make a real im-
of young people in the pact on the government’s policy-mak-
government. ing process. “These advisory boards are
According to the Home Affairs Bu- outdated. They have no say
reau statistics, the MSSY has recruited Not even in policy making, not to
a total of 51 members out of some 4,000 adults mention adding one or
Screenshots applicants since the launch of the have a say two young persons in
of the MSSY scheme in 2017. Shih believes the gov- them, “Ma explains.
Promotion- ernment should also offer other oppor- in policies, Ma is also pessi-
al Videos tunities for young people to take part mistic about candid
Source: in policy discussion. let alone dialogue promised by
the Home “They (applicants of the MSSY) are the government.” The
Affairs the youth Ma Ngok
Bureau’s passionate young people who want to government is not listen-
website contribute... the government can form ing to the people. The
focus groups with these passionate claims they make are just shows. Not
applicants who cannot pass the inter- even adults have a say in policies, let
views,” Shih suggests. alone the youths,” Ma says.

Flogging a dead horse
Matthew Cheung Kin-chung,
Chief Secretary for Administration Edited by Ada Chung &
and Chairman of the Youth Develop-
ment Commission, says on his blog on Jasmine Ling
September 29, that “Connecting with
Youth is a crucial part of the govern-
ment’s attitude on policy.” Besides, he