The Legislative Assembly (AL) Tuesday rejected a peer’s two “protest motions”, one against how the government tackles the issue of illegally employed non-local professional drivers, and the other against the government’s plan to sign a reciprocal driving licence recognition agreement with the mainland authorities in due course.
The motions were presented by directly-elected lawmaker-cum-political activist Sulu Sou Ka Hou. Both motions were roundly condemned by several lawmakers. Appointed lawmaker Chan Wa Keong, a lawyer by profession, described the motions as “immoral” during yesterday’s plenary debate in the legislature’s hemicycle.
Sou complained that the word “immoral” was hurtful, but Chan refused to withdraw his remark. Legislative Assembly President Ho Iat Seng played down the row between the two lawmakers and proceeded with the session.
Sou’s motions slammed the government for failing to carry out a public consultation on the planned reciprocal recognition of driving licences from the mainland and Macau and for failing to increase the fines and toughen the penalties for illegally hired professional drivers.
Civil service unionist Jose Pereira Coutinho, veteran fulltime grassroots lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San backed Sou.
Middle-of-the road lawmaker-cum-scholar Agnes Lam Iok Fong told the legislature that while she was actually opposed to the motion concerning the illegal employment of non-local professional drivers because it was not the right way to tackle the issue, she said she backed it because the bereaved parents of a recent traffic accident victim had asked her to do so.
In the traffic accident, a 22-year-old University of Macau (UM) was killed in an accident which involved a non-resident worker from the mainland who is alleged to have illegally worked as a chauffeur for a junket operator.
The government bans the employment of non-locals as professional drivers.(Macaunews)
