Macao’s chief justice Sam Hou Fai will be declaring his intention to run in the upcoming chief executive (CE) election at a press conference today morning, according to an announcement from a campaign office preparation team that was cited by multiple news outlets.
The press conference is due to be held in the convention hall of the Macao Science Centre at 11 am.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Sam would resign from judicial posts with effect from 28 August in a move widely seen as a prelude to his declaration of candidacy. Incumbent CE Ho Iat Seng similarly stepped down from his position as the president of the Legislative Assembly prior to announcing his intention to run in 2019.
Sam’s candidacy is not a done deal, as he is required to collect 66 signatures of endorsement from the 400-member CE Election Committee, the body that will cast the ballot for Macao’s next leader on 13 October.
However, analysts are confident that he will be able to gain enough support to win the nomination due to his stature in Macao’s judicial system and his legal experience in Macao, mainland China and Portugal.
[See more: What would it mean for Macao if Sam Hou Fai becomes the next chief executive?]
The judge’s chances of winning the polls are also good, with veteran political commentator Sonny Lo Shiu-Hing telling Macao News that “he will be a hard contender [to beat] for the position of the CE.”
The 62-year-old’s only other potential rival at this moment is a little known businessman named Jorge Chiang, who announced his intention to run back in July.
Sam was one of the key potential candidates mentioned in the wake of Ho’s shock announcement last week that he would not be seeking a second five-year term due to health issues.
If Sam is elected into office, he is expected to continue many of the key policies of Ho and rely on his advisors for non-judicial matters, especially those dealing with the economy.
Potential candidates for the CE election have between 29 August and 12 September to submit their applications.
