Macau’s former top judge Sam Hou Fai declared on Wednesday his candidacy to run for the sixth-term chief executive (CE) election slated for October 13, and yesterday the Post interviewed members of the public in the city centre about their thoughts about Sam’s candidacy, with many of them expecting Sam, who has a legal background, to be able to see things from different perspectives and understand residents’ views and challenges through direct contact with them.
Knowing that Sam served as the president of the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) for nearly 25 years and believing that he has enjoyed a certain degree of popularity, a local woman in her thirties surnamed Lo said she believed that his background was qualified enough to run in the chief executive election, adding she hoped that the new government under Sam’s leadership could improve the existing legal system and close loopholes in Macau and, at the same time, pay more attention to the city’s disadvantaged groups such as single-parent families and working mothers by providing them with financial assistance in terms of housing and accommodation.
A local man in his thirties surnamed Chan said he was aware that Sam had been the president of the Court of Final Appeal for nearly 25 years, adding he expected that Sam, who has a legal background, could improve the law on public servants, such as standardising the calculation of their working hours. Chan also expressed his expectations for the next chief executive on improving people’s livelihoods, better managing the city’s roadworks, paying more attention to the city’s inflation and providing more support for the city’s underprivileged groups.
Lei, a local woman in her twenties said she did not know much about Sam and had no idea about the new chief executive election. However, she was quick to add she hoped that the new government could pay special attention to the business situation of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): “Crowd control during the peak tourism season affects the business on Rua dos Ervanarios so I hope that there are other ways to cope with the situation”. Considering that the current government and Macau’s six integrated resort operators are regularly launching various kinds of activities, Lei said she hoped that the new government could continue to cooperate with SMEs in order to increase their exposure and improve their business situation.
A 63-year-old local woman surnamed Wong said she hoped that the new-term government could increase its efforts in the cultural and arts industries, expressing the view that the current government may have restricted the development of arts.
15-day CE nomination period starts
Yesterday marked the official start of the 15-day nomination period for candidates in the Macau Special Administrative Region’s (MSAR) sixth-term chief executive election, during which permanent residents holding Chinese nationality who have lived “habitually” for at least 20 years in Macau and are at least 40 years of age can collect their nomination forms from the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo and submit it endorsed by at least 66 members of the 400-member Macau Chief Executive Election Committee, or 16.5 percent of its total number of electors, together with their declaration expressing their sincere support for the Macau Basic Law, as well as allegiance to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the MSAR, no later than September 12, in order to formally launch their bid to take Macau’s top post.
Starting from around 9:30 a.m. yesterday, prospective candidates have been collecting their nomination forms from the Public Administration Building. Among them were Sam’s election campaign trustee Lei Wun Kong – president of the Macau Legal Promotion Association, as well as local resident Lei Kuong Un, who has collected a nomination form in the past five chief executive elections, and well-known labour rights activist and Macau Bar Benders Association President Wong Wai Man.
When asked by reporters how many electors were expected to nominate Sam in the upcoming election and when he expected Sam’s nomination form to be submitted for processing, Lei said: “ Today [yesterday], I was here only to collect the nomination form on behalf of Sam Hou Fai,” adding that Sam’s election campaign office will proceed with the nomination as soon as possible and in an orderly manner: “We will interact with the Chief Executive Election Committee members as soon as possible in accordance with the provisions of the Macau Chief Executive Election Law to listen to their views and seek nominations”.
Since Sam formally announced on Wednesday that he would run in the chief executive election, according to public broadcaster TDM, many community leaders have voiced their support for Sam’s candidacy, including local National People’s Congress (NPC) deputies Lao Ngai Leong, Kou Hoi In and Ho Sut Heng, as well as members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Chui Sai Cheong and Chan Hong.
The chief executive election will be held on Sunday, October 13. Observers expect Sam to run unopposed in the election.
Potential chief executive candidate Sam Hou Fai’s election campaign trustee Lei Wun Kong (left) – president of the Macau Legal Promotion Association – pose after collecting a nomination form on Sam’s behalf, at the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo yesterday morning. – Photo: Yuki Lei
