Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai said yesterday the executive, legislative, and judicial organs, in addition to exercising their respective statutory functions and duties, must also safeguard Macau’s political system characterised by executive-led governance and judicial independence, with the aim of creating more favourable conditions for Macau’s development.
Sam made the remarks while delivering a speech during a ceremony at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape which marked the formal start of the 2025/26 Judicial Year.
The annual event was also addressed by Macau’s top judge Song Man Lei, chief public prosecutor Tong Hio Fong and Macau Lawyers Association President Vong Hin Fai. A large number of judges, prosecutors, legislators and lawyers attended the ceremony as guests, including Legislative Assembly President André Cheong Weng Chon.
According to a statement by the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) last night, 390 guests attended the function.
Since the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) on December 20, 1999, Sam headed the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) for nearly 25 years until late August last year when he resigned as the MSAR’s top judge so that he could run in the election of the MSAR’s sixth-term chief executive, which was held on October 13 last year when he, the sole candidate, was elected by garnering 98.99 percent of the 398 votes cast by the 400-member Chief Executive Election Committee. Sam took office as the MSAR’s sixth-term and fourth chief executive on December 20 last year, i.e., the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the MSAR.
In his speech yesterday, Sam noted that he was attending the annual ceremony marking the start of the judicial year for the 25th time since Macau’s return to the motherland, and it was the first time that he presided over the ceremony in his capacity as the MSAR’s chief executive.
Sam said that the rule of law is the cornerstone of stable social development. He said that a fair and efficient judicial system serves as the last line of defence for social equality and justice, constituting the core of implementing the rule of law, and is also crucial for enhancing public confidence and promoting social consensus.
Sam underlined that over the past year, Macau’s judicial organs have made solid progress in upholding judicial justice, enhancing judicial efficiency, and improving the judicial system. In Macau’s judicial history, Sam said, there had never been a time like now where the judicial organs have possessed such a substantial number of judges, prosecutors, and other judicial officers, while the government had never attached such great importance to the development of both the hardware and software facilities of the judicial organs.
Sam said that as “a veteran in the judicial field”, he feels deeply grateful and proud of the achievements that have been made by Macau’s judicial organs and system over the years.
At present, the chief executive said, Macau is in an era of profound transformations where both the internal and external environments are becoming increasingly complex, with the continuous emergence of new development, new problems, and new changes, entailing higher requirements for Macau’s judicial work.
Sam also underlined Macau’s executive-led political system established by the MSAR Basic Law, which also lists provisions governing Macau’s administrative, legislative and judicial systems.
As the MSAR’s important organs of political power and governance, Sam said, the executive, legislative, and judicial organs, in addition to exercising their respective statutory functions and duties, must also safeguard Macau’s political system characterised by executive-led governance and judicial independence, where the executive and legislative organs should cooperate with each other while carrying out their respective duties in accordance with the law, with the aim of creating more favourable conditions for Macau’s development and reform and better serving its residents.
Sam offers judiciary 5 insights
In his speech yesterday, Sam raised five insights for Macau’s judicial organs, in compliance with President Xi Jinping’s requirements for Macau laid out in the latter’s speech delivered during the inauguration ceremony of the MSAR’s sixth-term government on December 20 last year, to strictly exercise fair administration of justice, improve the judicial system, enhance judicial efficiency, and uphold the rule of law.
Sam said his five insights were based on the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle in Macau over the past 26 years, including the development of its judicial organs and the role they have played.
First, Sam said, the judicial organs should uphold the MSAR’s constitutional order and consolidate the foundations of the rule of law.
Sam noted that the MSAR’s judicial system is rooted in the constitutional order established by the nation’s Constitution and the MSAR Basic Law. Judicial personnel must accurately understand the essence of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle and, through judicial practices, resolutely safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests, firmly support and cooperate with the MSAR government in exercising law-based governance, and provide various judicial and legal support to the government’s various reform initiatives, Sam said.
Second, Sam said, the judicial organs should uphold judicial justice and maintain social stability.
Sam said that court judgements are closely related to residents’ lives. He urged judiciary personnel not to forget their original intent to serve the public, as well as to exercise their powers prudently, maintain integrity and self-discipline, keep the public interest in mind, respect the law, and always perform their duties loyally.
Sam said that the value of judicial work lies not only in the precise application of legal provisions but also in the profound care and consideration for the well-being of the people. While upholding the fundamental principles of the rule of law, Sam said, judicial personnel should also handle cases with judicial compassion as much as possible so as to resolve social conflicts, enabling fairness and justice to constitute the foundation for Macau’s prosperity and stability.
Third, Sam said, the judicial organs should safeguard public and private rights and interests in accordance with the law and respond to the needs of Macau’s socioeconomic development.
The rule of law is the cornerstone of a good business environment, while the judicial system functions as the indispensable “stabiliser” for socioeconomic development, Sam said, adding that Macau is now at a critical stage in vigorously advancing its “1+4” appropriate diversification development strategy, accelerating the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and actively participating in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Sam said he expects the judicial organs to firmly defend people’s rights, safeguard the legitimate interests of public and private entities in accordance with the law and respond efficiently and with a high standard of quality to the demands of social development. Moreover, Sam also said expects the judiciary to continue serving as a driving force in stimulating economic vitality and promoting the sustainable and healthy development of society.
Fourth, Sam said, the judiciary should further strengthen its professional competence to enhance judicial efficiency. The professional quality of the judiciary constitutes the core driving force for the progress of a society grounded in the rule of law. Faced with the complex transformations characterising contemporary development and the dynamics of social structures, the judicial sector must, simultaneously, deepen its technical capabilities, discern the new demands arising from economic growth, technological innovation and social governance, in a continuous and consistent manner, Sam said. It must also proactively broaden its horizons, enhance the predictability and precision of judicial decision-making, thus ensuring the judicial system’s alignment with the evolution of the times.
Fifth, Sam urged the judiciary to deepen exchanges and cooperation and promote mutual learning in the judicial field. As a meeting point of Chinese and Western cultures, Macau possesses a unique legal system and an international perspective, Sam said. In the future, Sam said, Macau should actively intensify cooperation with judicial institutions in the Chinese mainland and participate extensively in regional coordination and international exchanges in the judicial field, thereby injecting new impetus and resilience into its judicial system.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses yesterday’s ceremony marking the start of the 2025/26 Judicial Year at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape. – Photo: GCS
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai (front, centre), Macau’s top judge Song Man Lei (front, third from right), chief public prosecutor Tong Hio Fong (front, second from right), Macau Lawyers Association President Vong Hin Fai (front, right), Legislative Assembly President André Cheong Weng Chon (front, third from left), as well as judges and prosecutors attend yesterday’s ceremony marking the formal start of the 2025/26 Judicial Year. – Photo: GCS
