Macau’s sole candidate for its sixth-term chief executive, Sam Hou Fai, has been visiting various neighbourhoods since last week to listen to people’s views, aiming to gauge public sentiment.
Accompanied by Macau Federation of Trade Unions (MFTU – Gung Luen) President Ho Sut Heng and other community leaders, Sam exchanged views with residents and shop owners in Taipa, and visited Taipa Central Park and Flower City Park.
Wrapping up yesterday morning’s walkabout in Taipa, the 62-year-old former president of the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) observed that Taipa, with decades of development, boasts comprehensive urban planning, infrastructure, and facilities, including a skywalk and various parks, which could serve as references for future redevelopment in Macau’s older areas.
He underlined that Taipa’s average monthly household income is around 82,000 patacas, surpassing the overall level in the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), which stands at 58,000 patacas, indicating a concentration of middle-class residents in Taipa. Sam noted that with central Taipa’s population steadily rising, standing at 90,000 right now, addressing transportation needs becomes increasingly critical, as highlighted by conversations with some elderly residents. He highlighted that future initiatives should entail conducting comprehensive surveys of local residents’ needs to improve transportation accessibility and enhance infrastructure for citizens and their quality of life.
He also noted that there are still many underutilised land resources within the urban areas like Taipa. If elected, he intends to seek residents’ opinions and explore ways to effectively utilise these plots of land to meet their needs.
Sam Hou Fai (centre) poses with kindergarteners in Taipa Central Park during yesterday’s walkabout on the island. – Photo: William Chan
