Lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo, who chairs the Legislative Assembly’s 2nd Standing Committee, said yesterday that the government expected the number of licence holders who can use guns as self-defence weapons for special reasons to decrease after the bill is passed by the legislature.
Addressing a press briefing after yesterday’s closed-door meeting reviewing the government’s weapons bill, Chan said this was due to the bill proposing to impose a string of obligations and binding regulations on gun owners, adding that the government hopes to gradually tighten the issuance of self-defence gun licences.
The bill aims to regulate the private possession of weapons, the outline of which was passed last year.
A total of 1,438 self-defence gun licences and 483 competition gun licences are currently registered. Each competition gun licence allows three handguns and there are currently only 716 competition guns that have been registered, Chan said.
Chan quoted the government as saying that it expects the number of competition gun licences to increase as the bill will lower the age of ownership of competition gun licences, from 18 in the past to 15 in the future, in the hope of supporting the development of Macau’s shooting sports.
The bill proposes to prohibit the carrying of weapons in places including religious sites, sports venues other than those used for shootings sports, places where assemblies and demonstrations are held, educational, hospital and correctional service premises, and restricted areas in airports, ports and land transport hubs. Any violation will be liable to a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
Chan said his committee also discussed the scope of the proposed probitions on those in possession of self-defence guns, and urged the government to submit a latest version of the bill as soon as possible to clarify the issues.
Lawmaker-cum-restaurateur Andrew Chan Chak Mo (right), who chairs the legislature’s 2nd Standing Committee, talks to reporters after the committee’s closed-door meeting reviewing the government’s weapons bill yesterday, while the committee’s secretary, Lam Lon Wai, looks on. – Photo: Ginnie Liang
