The government needs to prepare a plan B for next autumn’s legislative elections due to the uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon told reporters yesterday.
Cheong made the remarks on the sidelines of a meeting at the Legislative Assembly (AL).
“We must have a plan B because of the pandemic since no-one knows what will be [the situation] one year later,” Cheong said, adding that “nothing has been decided yet but we must study all hypotheses.”
The policy secretary – whose portfolio includes the preparations for and supervision of Macau’s quadrennial legislative elections – also said that in due course the government would consult the Health Bureau (SSM) on the issue.
Cheong also said he hoped that the novel coronavirus situation would improve in the run-up to the elections. He stressed that preparations for a plan B wouldn’t involve any political considerations.
The voter registration drive for next year’s elections ends on December 31. The government is also slated to set up an electoral affairs commission by the end of the year.
Macau’s legislature has 33 members (deputies) – 14 directly elected by popular vote, 12 indirectly elected by association representatives and seven appointed by the chief executive after the elections. The direct elections are based on a proportional representation system. Customarily, the legislative elections are held in the autumn. The last elections took place on September 17, 2017.
