In accordance with By-law No. 20/2011 that amends By-law No. 31/2009 “General rules of opening and managing individual accounts of the Central Savings System”, there are new provisions about the activation fund of 10,000 patacas for participants eligible for the first time and also three new situations that are also considered as time staying in Macao, even though they are outside Macao during that period. The Social Security Fund (FSS) said that in order to cope with the amendments, the confirmation process of the status of stay in Macao will be extended to 31 August, but without affecting the publication of the definitive list in September nor the appropriation process. The declaration forms to confirm the status of stay in Macao can be downloaded from the FSS website and obtained from more than 80 service points in Macao.

According to the regulation, any Macao SAR permanent resident who has reached 22 years of age and who is, at the same time, still alive on 1 January in the current year and who has stayed in Macao for at least 183 days during the preceding calendar year, will receive a one-off payment of 10,000 patacas as the activation fund (the amount already transferred to the participant’s individual account in 2010 is considered as the amount of activation fund). It is estimated that this year will involve about 25,000 eligible participants.

The three new situations that are also considered as staying in Macao are as follows: 1) Being habitually residing in the Mainland due to chronic illness, being bedridden, fully or partially paralyzed; 2) Working abroad to bear the main living expenses of his/her spouse and immediate family member in Macao SAR; 3) Based on humanitarian or other duly substantiated reasons that are not stated in the regulation but with the consent of the Chief Executive. It is noteworthy that the three additional reasons do not apply to the 2010 appropriation.

To cope with the amendments of the regulation, the FSS will start to re-send notification letters from today onwards to participants not included in the provisional list of 2011 appropriation. The deadline for the confirmation process of the status of stay in Macao will be extended to 31 August. Participants referred to in the amended By-law can fill out the declaration forms to confirm the status of stay in Macao (the declaration form is enclosed with the notification letter, or can be downloaded from the FSS website or obtained from more than 80 service points in Macao) and submit to the FSS or more than 80 service points in Macao, with a photocopy of his/her identification document and the relevant certifying documents (see Table 1). It is expected that the three additional situations will involve about 3,000 people.

In order to protect the interests of the participants, for those who are already included in the provisional list of 2011 appropriation, as well as those who have filled out the declaration forms to confirm the status of stay in Macao according to the four provisions of the original By-law (By-law No. 31/2009) and being granted the appropriation right after the FSS confirmed their eligibility, they will be included in the definitive list in mid-September. The elderly who reached 65 years of age after the appropriation and other participants who meet the requirements of early withdrawal can apply for the withdrawals. Due to the extension of the deadline for the confirmation process of the status of stay in Macao, for those participants who confirm the status of stay in Macao under the three new situations of the new By-law (By-law No. 20/2011), they may find their cases still in the status of “being processed” when the definitive list is published. The FSS said that their applications will be processed as soon as possible and the participants will be notified later. Moreover, for those excluded from the provisional list even though they have submitted the declaration forms to confirm the status of stay in Macao and those who have not yet filled out the declaration forms before the deadline, the FSS will send letters to them in September, notifying them that they are not included in the provisional list of 2011 appropriation. Participants can file an objection at their own discretion within 15 days after receiving the notification letters.

For further information about the Central Savings System, members of the public can call 2852 3333 or visit the FSS website at www.fss.gov.mo.

Annex (Table 1):

Central Savings System 2011 appropriation

Declaration form to confirm the status of stay in Macao

Key certifying documents for the three additional reasons