Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong said yesterday that six groups have submitted registered voters’ signatures endorsing their respective candidacies in the upcoming direct legislative election to his commission.
According to Tong, his commission has confirmed the validity of the candidacy of three of the six groups, while the candidacy validity of the remaining three groups is still being verified.
Tong made the remarks while speaking to reporters after chairing a regular closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo.
Tong also noted yesterday that two groups which had submitted registered voters’ signatures endorsing their respective candidacies in the upcoming direct election had withdrawn from taking part in the election. Tong told reporters earlier this month that the two groups are the Macau Power of Gaming Association, and the Macau Common Home Alliance.
The Legislative Assembly’s (AL) direct and indirect elections will be held on Sunday, September 12. Elections in Macau are traditionally held on a Sunday.
Tong said yesterday that the three lists whose candidacies have been verified are Macau Development Power, Progress Promotion Union (UPP), and Alliance for a Happy Home.
Tong also said that he would only reveal the names of the other three lists after his commission verifies their validity.
Both Progress Promotion Union (UPP) and Alliance for a Happy Home ran in the legislature’s direct election four years ago when 25 candidacy lists vied for the 14 seats at stake.
The first-ranked candidates of Progress Promotion Union and Alliance for a Happy Home were elected in the 2017 direct election – current lawmakers Alan Ho Ion Sang and Wong Kit Cheng.
Ho is a senior board member of the Macau General Association of Neighbourhood Unions (commonly known as Kai Fong), while Wong is a senior board member of the Macau Women’s General Association (commonly known as Fu Luen).
Macau Development Power will take part in the direct legislative election for the first time.
According to previous media reports, Macau Development Power will be headed by Chan Tak Seng, who heads the District Development Promotion Association of Macau, a think tank set up in 2018 to study daily life matters affecting civil society.
Groups running in the legislature’s direct and indirect elections are officially known as “lists”.
Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong (third from right) briefs reporters yesterday after a closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo, as fellow commission members Inês Chan Lou (first from left), Iong Kong Leong (second from left), José Maria da Fonseca Tavares (third from left), Lai U Hou (second from right) and Kou Peng Kuan look on. Photo: Tony Wong
