The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday suspended plans to ease permanent residency rules for professionals from Hong Kong and Macau amid criticism of the policy, which was to begin tomorrow. “The policy has been shelved for now. More dialogue is needed with lawmakers and the public to garner general support,” MAC Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said. The relaxed residency rules announced on April 21 attracted objections, with critics saying that the process was rushed, and lacked proper national security and impact assessments. The original timetable would have had the Ministry of the Interior file for public notice tomorrow to revise the Regulations