Chief Executive Electoral Affairs Commission (CAECE) President Song Man Lei has announced that the chief executive election on October 13 will be held at the Services Platform Complex for Commercial and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (aka Forum Macao Complex).
Song made the remarks while speaking to reporters on Friday after chairing a regular closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo.
The chief executive elections in 2019, 2014 and 2009 were all held at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Cotai, while the one in 2004 was held at the Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre.
The East Asian Games Dome was built for the 4th East Asian Games, which took place from October 29 to November 6, 2005.
Since its completion in 2019, the government-owned Forum Macao complex, located near Macau Tower, has been increasingly used for various government activities and events.
Meanwhile, Song pointed out that a total of 11 residents collected nomination forms during the chief executive candidacy nomination period between August 29 and Thursday last week, during which only one of them submitted his candidacy nomination form to her commission, ex-top judge Sam Hou Fai, endorsed by 386 electors of the 400-member Chief Executive Election Committee, representing 96.5 percent of the total.
Song also noted that Sam submitted a signed statement confirming that he is loyal to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) and upholds the MSAR Basic Law. Song said that her commission will now vet Sam’s candidacy nomination form and pass his statement to the MSAR’s Committee for Safeguarding National Security (CDSE) for its binding appraisal of his candidacy application, which will assess whether Sam upholds the MSAR Basic Law and is loyal to the PRC and its MSAR. The CDSE appraisal cannot be appealed.
Song noted that her commission is required to announce its decision by Wednesday this week whether to accept Sam as a candidate for the chief executive election. If no one lodges an objection to the commission’s decision, Song said, the commission is required to announce Sam’s finally confirmed candidature by Friday this week.
Moreover, Song also noted that the chief executive election campaign period will run between September 28 and October 11.
According to the Chief Executive Election Law, the Chief Executive Electoral Affairs Commission is required to hold a session for each chief executive election candidate to present his or her political platform and answer questions from members of the 400-strong Chief Executive Election Committee.
Song also announced that her commission will hold its candidacy platform presentation-cum-Q&A session on the first day of the chief executive election campaign period, i.e., September 28, Saturday next week.
Song said that the session will also be held at the Forum Macao Complex, adding that it will be open to the media.
Sam’s meetings with reps from various segments, including business community leaders
Meanwhile, Sam paid a visit to an office in an industrial building on Saturday where he met with representatives from several science and technology associations, his election campaign office said in a statement yesterday.
The meeting was held at Man Kei Industrial Building on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita.
According to the statement, the representatives raised opinions on topics such as the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, the training of science and technology professionals, and the modernisation of Macau’s traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry.
On Saturday, Sam also paid a visit to a commercial building where he met with representatives from four major education associations, a statement later that day said.
The meeting was held at China Construction Commercial Building on Rua do Campo.
According to the statement, the representatives raised opinions on topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) education, strengthening emotional support for students, and curricular reform aiming to enable Macau to better meet the industrial development in its appropriate economic diversification campaign.
On Friday, Sam paid a visit to the headquarters of the Macau Chamber of Commerce (ACM), colloquially known in Cantonese as Chung Chung, in Zape, a statement later that day said.
During the meeting, ACM Chairman Chui Sai Cheong, who is also the vice-president of the Legislative Assembly (AL), said that he acknowledged Sam’s philosophy of administration.
According to the statement, 16 ACM members raised opinions during the meeting, on topics such as business environment, finance, human resources, real estate, transport, tourism, public administration, urban renewal and Hengqin’s development.
A separate statement on Friday said that Sam met with representatives from the Social Investigation and Research Association on the previous day.
The meeting was held at Sam’s election campaign office in Nam Tung Commercial Building in Nam Van.
The association’s members include social sciences scholars teaching or engaged in other types of work in Macau.
Meanwhile, Sam’s campaign office representatives met with members of eight associations from various segments of Macau’s civil society in separate meetings on Friday.
After submitting his candidacy nomination form, Sam is continuing to meet various associations in civil society in order to gather opinions and suggestions with the aim of formulating his candidacy platform.
Flanked by her fellow members, Chief Executive Electoral Affairs Commission (CAECE) President Song Man Lei (centre) briefs reporters on Friday after a closed-door meeting of the commission at the Public Administration Building on Rua do Campo. – Photo: GCS
This handout photo provided by the Sam Hou Fai Election Campaign Office on Friday shows potential chief executive candidate Sam Hou Fai addressing Friday’s meeting with the Macau Chamber of Commerce (ACM).
