Macau, China, 17 Jun – Fernando Chui Sai On is set to be the new Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region of Macau from 20 December of this year for a five-year term.
Confirmation of his victory came on Tuesday after he submitted his nomination list, which contained a number of signatures that were enough to invalidate all other candidates.
The former secretary for Social Affairs and Culture submitted a list with 286 of the 300 possible signatures from the election committee, making it impossible for any other candidate to take part in the vote as the minimum requirement is 50 signatures.
The submission deadline is 23 July and three days after, on 26 July, is when Fernando Chui Sai On is expected to be formally picked to replace Edmund Ho Hau Wah, who will step down on 19 December, 2009.
Edmund Ho became the Chief Executive of Macau on 20 December, 1999, and was re-elected for another term five years later.
Chui Sai On told journalists that he is going to take part in the election campaign with a spirit of “continuity and innovation”.
Chui Sai On also said that he has been meeting with representatives from various sectors of society to “exchange ideas”, which have been an important reference for the development of his political programme.
Born in Macau in January 1957, Fernando Chui Sai On graduated from the California State University at Sacramento in Community Health and later obtained a master degree in Health Administration and a Ph.d in Public Health at the University of Oklahoma
Chui Sai On served on the Legislative Assembly from 1992 to 1995 and was Chief of Medical amd Health Department of the Tung Sin Tong Charitable Institution and Executive Director of Kiang Wu Hospital Board of Charity.
In August 1999 Chui Sai On was appointed Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau government and in December 2004 was reappointed for a second term as secretary.
Fernando Chui Sai On resigned on May 12 as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau government to run for the post of Macau Chief Executive.
(MacauNews)
