Two more electoral lists submitted their respective lists of candidates and political platforms to the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) yesterday for the upcoming direct legislative election.
The two lists are the Macau-Guangdong Union (UMG) and Union for Development (UPD).
The direct and indirect legislative elections will take place on September 12.
Each direct election list must have at least four and no more than 14 candidates.
Both lists ran in the legislature’s direct election four years ago when 25 candidacy lists vied for the 14 seats at stake.
A total of 19 electoral lists will run in the upcoming direct election.
In the 2017 direct election, the Macau-Guangdong Union list won the highest number of votes, at 17,214, getting two of its candidates (the first- and second-ranked candidates) elected – current lawmakers Mak Soi Kun and Zheng Anting. Both are senior board members of the Macau Jiangmen Communal Society. Four years ago, the Union for Development list garnered the second highest number of votes 16,696, also getting its number-one and number-two candidates elected – sitting lawmaker Ella Lei Cheng I and Leong Sun Iok. Both are senior board members of the influential Macau Federation of Trade Unions (commonly known as Gung Luen in Cantonese).
For the upcoming direct election, the Macau-Guangdong Union list comprises 13 candidates, while the Union for Development list consists of 12 candidates.
Mak, the number-one candidate of the Macau-Guangdong Union list four years ago, will not seek re-election this time. Consequently, the list’s first-ranked candidate is Zheng Anting for the upcoming direct election.
Both Lei and Leong will seek re-election – i.e. being the number-one and number-two candidates of the Union for Development list this time.
Zheng and Lei spoke to reporters separately after submitting their lists of candidates and political platforms at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo yesterday.
Zheng said that his electoral list would focus on issues such as financial support measures for the unemployed and the underemployed, housing projects for senior citizens, sandwich class housing and public administration reforms.
Zheng said that his electoral list’s “objective will be achieved” if it gets two seats for the upcoming direct election, as the competition this time is expected to be stronger than four years ago.
Lei said that her electoral list would focus on issues such as improved policies on housing, workers’ rights and benefits, the training of local professionals, social security system and education for young people.
Also speaking to reporters, Leong Iok Wa, the official representative of the Union for Development list, acknowledged the very strong competition for the direct election this time, pledging that her electoral list would strive to ensure that it will get two seats this time.
The legislature’s 14 directly-elected members are chosen by universal suffrage, based on the proportional representation system. Macau permanent residents aged at least 18 have the right to vote and to be elected, irrespective of nationality and place of birth. Hong Kong and Macau are one of the few places in the world where foreign nationals with the right of abode have not only the right to elect lawmakers but also to be a candidate for legislator.
Current directly-elected lawmaker Zheng Anting (front), who will seek re-election, speaks to reporters at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo yesterday after his electoral list Macau-Guangdong Union submitted its political platform to the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL). – Courtesy: TDM
Current directly-elected legislator Ella Lei Cheng I (centre), the number-one candidate of the Union for Development direct election list, speaks to reporters at the Public Administration Building, as her fellow lawmaker, the list’s second-ranked candidate Leong Sun Iok (left), and its number-three candidate Kelvin Choi Kam Fu look on. – Courtesy: TDM
