Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said yesterday that the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Macau and the development of the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin pose both challenges and opportunities for Macau’s judiciary and the legal profession.
Ho made the remarks in a speech at a ceremony which marked the formal start of the new Judicial Year. The ceremony, which was attended by judges, prosecutors, government officials and representatives of the legal fraternity, was held at the Macau Cultural Centre.
Ho stressed that only by advancing with the times can the rule of law have lasting vitality. He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on Macau’s economy and civil society and also resulted in new problems, new requirements and new challenges for the judicial and legal sectors.
Ho mentioned as examples the challenge of balancing the relationship between public health safety and individual rights and freedoms, as well as how to properly protect the safety of personal data while ensuring public security at the same time. He also mentioned the challenge of how to effectively resolve civil and commercial disputes directly or indirectly caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, as well as how to better protect the rights and interests of disadvantaged segments of civil society. Ho said all these issues require a timely response from the legal profession.
Ho also underlined the importance of the General Plan for the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin for the legal profession and the judiciary. “This is a major historical opportunity for the development of Macau,” Ho said.
Ho, a former president of the local legislature and former member of the elite Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, underlined that for Macau to “do a good job” in the cooperation zone, Macau’s legal professionals need to be proactive, boldly innovative and wise.
The chief executive said he hoped that Macau’s legal fraternity will discuss the legal issues related to the connection between the civil and commercial rules of the cooperation zone and Macau. He said that what is needed is in-depth thinking and research in order to be able to provide professional, efficient and convenient legal services and guarantees for the development of the cooperation, apart from making sure that Macau will be able to consolidate and enhance its advantages and integrate itself better into the overall development of the nation.
“The rule of law is one of the core values of Macau society,” Ho said, adding that in order “to uphold the rule of law, we must first resolutely safeguard the dignity and authority of the [national] Constitution and the Macau Basic Law.”
Ho also said that the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) government will continue to adhere to the rule of law and safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests. He also said that the local government would never allow any external forces to interfere in Macau’s internal affairs.”
Ho also said that “in the face of the new situation, we must strengthen our confidence, unite our efforts and united as one to jointly promote the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle with Macau’s characteristics to make steady progress.”
Macau’s top judge, Court of Final Appeal (TUI) President Sao Hou Fai, Chief Public Prosecutor Ip Son Sang and Macau Lawyers Association (AAM) President Jorge Neto Valente also addressed the ceremony.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng addresses yesterday’s ceremony marking the beginning of the new Judicial Year, at the Macau Cultural Centre in Nape. Photo: GCS
