Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon has reaffirmed that Macau’s political system does not include the – Western – concept of separation of powers, and instead its executive authorities, the legislature and the judiciary complement each other and exercise checks and balances of each other, but with the emphasis on a cooperative relationship between the three organs.
Cheong made the remarks during Friday’s regular Executive Council press conference when asked by reporters about the relationship between Macau’s executive, legislature and judiciary, amidst heated discussions on the topic of the separation of powers in Hong Kong in recent weeks.
Cheong noted that the Macau Basic Law clearly stipulates Macau’s political system, according to which the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) exercises a high degree of autonomy and enjoys executive, legislative and independent judicial powers, including that of final adjudication.
Cheong said that Macau’s executive, legislative and judicial powers are exercised by their respective organs. The courts and the Public Prosecution exercise their judicial powers independently, while the executive authorities and the legislature have their own respective powers, Cheong said, adding that the three organs exercise their respective powers independently of each other in line with Macau’s laws.
Cheong underlined that the political system applied in the MSAR is an executive-led system in which the executive authorities, the legislature and the judiciary complement each other and exercise checks and balances on each other, but with the emphasis on cooperation between them.
The policy secretary said that Macau’s executive-led system is widely understood and recognised by Macau’s civil society, adding that the system in place has been effective since Macau’s return to the motherland, contributing to the city’s continuous development and stability.
Cheong said there is no doubt that the executive authorities will always continue to respect and implement rulings made by the judiciary.
