The nomination period for the 5th chief executive election runs until July 23 and three potential candidates, former Legislative Assembly president Ho Iat Seng, the owner of the Macao Iao Kei Motor Air-conditioning & Engineering Company, Chan Weng Fu, and unemployed resident Lei Oi Chi picked up their nomination forms Monday, the first day for the forms to be handed out.
According to a Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) statement, people who are interested in running for chief executive may personally or through a designated representative pick up the nomination forms and return the forms until July 23.
A precandidate must obtain at least 66 nominations from the 400 members of the Chief Executive Election Committee to become a formal candidate able to run in the election.
Chan arrived at the Electoral Information Centre on the ground floor of the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo yesterday morning while Ho and Lei went there in the afternoon. Chan was the first to collect his nomination forms.
Local resident Chan, 68, an electro-mechanical technician who moved to Macau 40 years ago, told reporters yesterday before he collected the nomination forms that he aimed to unite Macau and set up a new type of administration for the city, adding that “the most important thing is loyalty to the country and to the citizens without any selfishness.”
Chan had already announced his plan to run in August’s chief executive election and revealed his political platform to the media last week. For example, Chan said if elected he would allocate 200,000 patacas to each local resident to reduce the risk of the government’s current investment strategy, adding that people could decide for themselves how to invest and enjoy the profit, such as to invest in the mainland’s real-estate market.
Chan underlined that he would like to add a new point to his populist platform, which is that if elected he would also allocate all newlyweds a flat and only charge them a small amount.
Meanwhile, Ho, who announced his decision in April to run for the city’s top job, told reporter after he had picked up his nomination forms: “I called members of the Chief Executive Election Committee this [yesterday] morning and hope to gain their nominations.
Ho added: “I will try my best to obtain as many nominations as I can…but sure, I can’t get all 400 member’s nominations. I will continue to fight for support even if I get the 66 nominations.”
Ho, 62, a former indirectly-elected lawmaker representing the city’s business sector, quit the legislature on Friday, instead of merely suspending his seat last. He is also the former sole Macau member of the elite Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC).
Ho responded to a question about his political platform: “It’s not appropriate to talk about a political platform just yet, or else it breaks the law…we can only launch this information during the election campaign period.”, adding that “now I only have the framework [of my political platform], I need some time to listen to opinions from the election committee members…their suggestions will be added to my political platform.”
The chief executive election campaign period will last from August 10-23, and the election will take place on August 25.
“While I am asking for the nominations, I am also listening to the members’ views and suggestions, some of them talked about different social issues like the traffic problem and livelihood issues,” Ho pointed out.
When asked about other potential chief executive candidates, Ho said that “more people participate in the election is a good thing, but I won’t comment on others.”
Unemployed local citizen Lei Oi Chi also announced yesterday that she plans to run in the chief executive election.
Lei picked up her nomination forms and told reporters that she has decided to run for the city’s most senior post because of some citizens’ support, adding that she hopes to diversify the city’s industry and improve residents’ quality of life.
Four other residents have previously announced their possible runs for the chief executive election, namely investment consultancy chief Leong Kuok Chao, well-known protester Hoi Weng Chong (widely known as the “Man in Red”), unemployed local citizen Choi Teng Teng who told reporters that she had been in jail for four and a half years on “a false accusation charge”, and Siu Koi Weng, the honorary consul of Papua New Guinea in Macau.
According to Article 46 of the Macau Basic Law, Macau’s chief executive shall be a Chinese citizen of not less than 40 years of age who is a permanent resident of the special administrative region and has ordinarily resided in Macau for a continuous period of not less than 20 years.(Macaunews)
