Ho Iat Seng was sworn yesterday as the fifth-term chief executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Ho said in his inaugural address that adopting the policy of concerted efforts, reform and innovation, the new MSAR government will continue to fully and accurately implement “One Country, Two Systems,” strictly follow the Constitution and the Basic Law, conscientiously safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and show greater courage and innovation to Macau’s advance economic and social development.
Ho, born in Macau in 1957, served as a member of the Executive Council (ExCo) from 2004 to 2009. ExCo is the government’s top advisory body. In 2013, he was elected president of the Legislative Assembly (AL) and reelected in 2017.
He is a former deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and a ex-member of its standing committee.
On July 25, 2019, he was accepted as the sole candidate for the fifth-term chief executive of the MSAR and collected 379 signatures by members of the 400-member chief executive election committee.
On August 10, Ho put forward his plan for future work in various fields including public governance, economic diversification, people’s livelihood, youth development, and cultural cooperation.
On August 25, he was declared winner in the fifth-term chief executive election of the MSAR, gaining a total of 392 votes in favor by the members of the election committee. He garnered 98 percent of the votes.
Ho said after his election that he would spare no effort to uphold the principles of “One Country, Two Systems” and “Macau people governing Macau” with a high degree of autonomy, and would also unswervingly carry out his duties and governance in strict accordance with the nation’s Constitution and the MSAR Basic Law to serve the people, the MSAR and the country.
On September 4, the State Council appointed Ho as the MSAR’s fifth-term chief executive. He is Macau’s third chief executive – after Edmund Ho Hau Wah and Fernando Chui Sai On who each served two consecutive five year terms, the maximum allowed by the Basic Law. – Xinhua, MPD
