Former Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) inspector Nelson Kot Man Kam says that his electoral group Power of Political Thought (P.P.P.), the No. 10 on the ballot, would fight for public servants’ interests if it gets elected in the September 17 direct legislative election.

Kot’s list comprises 11 candidates. According to Kot, his group’s candidates are current and retired public servants and professionals. Kot is the first-ranked candidate while António da Conceição Oliveira Lopes is the second-ranked candidate.

Addressing a press conference about his group’s political platform in a restaurant in Areia Preta on Sunday, Kot, who heads the University of Macau Alumni Association (UMAA), said his group was not satisfied with the government’s administration, adding that this was the reason he and his fellow candidates had decided to run in the election to “improve the situation”.

Political newcomer Kot said he was confident of winning at least one seat in the legislature. He also said that as the government was always being accused of nepotism, his group hoped it could solve the issue so that young public servants would finally be able to get promoted on merit only.

Kot acknowledged that this time there are at least three electoral groups representing public servants. “It shows that public servants care about society,” Kot said.

He also said his group’s political platform was focused on the interests of middle- and low-ranking public servants, which he believed could gain the electorate’s support while the political platform of The Aurora of Grassroots Workers (No. 21 on the ballot), headed by Macau Association of Low-Ranking Public Sector Staff President Lam Wai Koi, was mainly focused on fighting for the interests of low-ranking public servants.

Moreover, Kot said lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho, who heads the New Hope group (No. 6 on the ballot), had contributed a lot to the city in the legislature. However, he was quick to add that Coutinho ran in Portugal’s general election in 2015. Kot said he believed there would have been a conflict of “loyalty” if Coutinho had been elected in Portugal. Coutinho heads the Macau Civil Servants Association (ATFPM).

Kot said: “[As a lawmaker in Macau], you should fight for Macau [residents’] interests,” adding he knew that there are public servants who have a negative opinion on Coutinho’s “loyalty” issue.

Former Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) inspector Nelson Kot Man Kam (centre, front row), António da Conceição Oliveira Lopes (second from right, front row) and fellow group members of the Power of Political Thought (P.P.P.) pose on Sunday at a press conference about their group’s political platform at a restaurant in Areia Preta. Photo: Debby Seng

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