Public Prosecutor-General Ho Chio Meng, who will leave his post on December 20 after 15 years in the post, Wednesday called for an improvement in the city’s various systems including its legal system.
He also said that only the upholding of the city’s legal system and the principle of the rule of law would allow the achievements civil society has obtained to be retained and developed even further.
Ho made the remarks after officiating over the opening ceremony of a forum on the local implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems”. The one-day forum, which was held at the Macau Polytechnic Institute (IPM) in Zape, was organised by the institute’s One Country Two Systems Research Centre.
Talking to reporters, 59-year old Ho said that the Public Prosecution Office (MP) had operated smoothly over the past 15 years. However, he also admitted that there were some things that were done inefficiently.
“As there are a great deal of cases to be dealt with we all need to think about how to improve our efficiency and ensure justice doesn’t come too late,” said Ho, who has headed the office since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) on December 20, 1999.
He also said that as society developes the government needed to amend the city’s penal laws as soon as possible since otherwise the situation could adversely affect the rule of law.
“For example, concerning the Penal Code I think it is time to amend it…laws should be adapted to changes in society,” Ho said.
According to a government announcement last week, 50-year-old judge Ip Son Sang will succeed Ho as the city’s top prosecutor.
Asked by reporters as to what was the most urgent job for his successor, Ho said it was to consider how to improve the city’s various systems.
“I dare not comment on matters regarding the next government…no matter how… to improve the city’s various systems is important, and the systems also include the legal system,” Ho said, adding that the city’s lawyers, prosecutors and judges should consider how to improve the legal system.
Ho also said that there should be continuous training courses for the city’s prosecutors and judges, particularly those who were born in the 1980s.
Ho said he would continue working for the Public Prosecution Office.(macaunews/macaupost)
