The electoral group New Macau Progressives (ANPM), No. 7 on the September 17 ballot, and Synergy Power, No. 15 on the ballot, held separate press conferences yesterday about alleged smear campaigns and netizens’ “doubts” about them.
New Macau Association (NMA) Vice-President Sulu Sou Ka Hou is the first-ranked candidate of New Macau Progressives while Paul Chan Wai Chi, an ex-lawmaker, is the second-ranked candidate.
Ron Lam U Tou, a social affairs commentator, heads the electoral group Synergy Power, while Johnson Ian Heng Ut is the second-ranked candidate.
Speaking to the media at the NMA office in Nam Van, Chan, an NMA board member, said the press conference aimed to tell those who “make up stories” about the group to stop.
The press conference referred to an article on social media alleging that NMA Secretary Wong Kin Long, the fourth-ranked candidate of the electoral group, had claimed on Facebook that “running in Macau’s legislative elections will be able to promote Hong Kong independence”.
Wong said he and other candidates had signed an official declaration of allegiance before running in the election, to confirm their agreement with the Macau Basic Law and their fidelity to the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). He insisted that he and his fellow candidates are upholding the Macau Basic Law.
Wong also said he posted that status update just because he wanted to discuss the “loopholes” in the Legislative Assembly Election Law with others, adding that he did not mean to promote “Hong Kong independence”.
Before the press conference, the group had made printouts of a number of commentaries, news reports and photos circulated online against the group and displayed them on the desk at the office. Sou said: “These are just the tip of the iceberg.”
According to the NMA statement yesterday, the group planned to complain to the Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Committee (CAEAL) after the press conference about the “organised” smear campaigns.
The statement also said according to the smears, NMA activists have been transferring residents’ personal data to places outside Macau and that Sou had many love affairs at university in Taiwan. The group denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, Lam, a former assistant to the lawmakers of the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (commonly known as Gung Luen), held a press conference at his electoral group’s office about its political platform and netizens’ “doubts” about his relationship with Gung Luen.
Lam, who chairs the think tank Macau Synergy Association, said he had noticed recently that many people were concerned about his relationship with Gung Luen. According to Lam, he quit Gung Luen at the end of last year. He insisted that his group’s election campaign spending is backed by crowd funding, adding that all of the members of his association are volunteers.
Meanwhile, Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Committee President Tong Hio Fong told reporters yesterday that it was “not illegal” for private school to be involved in the election campaign. Tong made the remarks when asked by reporters about the issue during a visit to a mock polling station at Macau Forum in Zape. The media asked Tong after reports that at least two private schools asked parents to vote for the electoral group Alliance for a Happy Home (No. 11 on the ballot).
Tong said earlier this year that public schools are barred from getting involved in the election campaign.
Residents can visit the mock polling station to familiarise themselves with the election process, namely how to cast their ballot on Sunday.
New Macau Association (NMA) Vice-President Sulu Sou Ka Hou (left) addresses yesterday’s press conference as Paul Chan Wai Chi (second from left), a board member of the group, NMA Secretary Wong Kin Long (second from right) and Andrew Cheong Su Kin, who chairs the group’s supervisory board, look on, at the NMA office in Nam Van, with commentaries and news reports about the groups on display. Photo: MPDG
Candidates Ron Lam U Tou (centre), Johnson Ian Heng Ut (left) and Vitor da Rocha Vai pose during yesterday’s press conference at the group’s office in Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida. Photo: MPDG
