Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai had a meeting with all members of the Legislative Assembly (AL) on Friday gathering their opinions and suggestions concerning the government’s drafting of his 2027 Policy Address. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving Macau’s executive-led system and strengthening positive interaction between the executive and legislative organs, according to a statement by the Macao Government Information Bureau (GCS) on Saturday morning.
The closed-door meeting was held at the Services Platform Complex for Commercial and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (aka Forum Macao Complex) in Sai Van. Sam’s five policy secretaries also attended the meeting.
According to the statement, Sam said that hosting a special meeting – in collaboration with the legislature – to gather opinions and suggestions from legislators concerning the government’s drafting of his policy address was an innovative initiative of his government. This initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to upholding and improving Macau’s executive-led system while strengthening positive interaction between the executive and legislative organs, he underlined.
The 33-member Legislative Assembly comprises 14 deputies directly elected by universal suffrage, 12 deputies indirectly elected by association representatives, and seven deputies appointed by the chief executive after the direct and indirect elections – which are held every four years.
According to the statement, Legislative Assembly President André Cheong Weng Chon underlined during the meeting that the government and the legislature have maintained close communication and effective collaboration. The government’s proactive outreach to legislators during its policy address preparation process has fostered positive interaction between the executive and legislative organs, he said.
Cheong said that the special meeting has also enabled the legislature to better fulfil its roles of providing political guidance and legislative oversight while serving as a key bridge between the government and Macau’s civil society.
The current four-year term of the Legislative Assembly started on October 16 last year. Cheong is one of the seven members whom Sam appointed to the 33-member legislature. Cheong is a newcomer to the legislature after serving as the government’s secretary for administration and justice between December 20, 2019, and October 15 last year. He was unanimously elected by his peers as the legislature’s speaker.
According to the statement, all members of the Legislative Assembly spoke during the meeting, offering views and suggestions on a wide range of topics.
Sam expressed his gratitude to the lawmakers for raising substantive and practical proposals. He said that their suggestions were comprehensive, covered short-, medium-, and long-term development needs of Macau, and offered valuable input.
Sam said that the meeting effectively promoted mutual understanding and consensus-building between the executive and legislative organs, underlining that the government will thoroughly assess the legislators’ opinions and incorporate the practical ones into his 2027 Policy Address.
Sam is slated to deliver his 2027 Policy Address in the legislature’s hemicycle in November.
The legislature has its two-month summer recess every year between the middle of August and the middle of October. After its normal operation ended on Saturday, the legislature is now on its two-month summer recess.
After the meeting on Friday afternoon, Sam hosted a banquet with the lawmakers in the evening – before the start of the legislature’s summer recess, the statement said.
During the banquet held at MGM MACAU in Nape, Sam said that since its operational start in October last year, the current-term legislature has effectively fulfilled its legally mandated duties and continuously improved its legislative and oversight work, while maintaining close ties with civil society and offering constructive policy recommendations. The collaborative mechanism between the government and the legislature will continue to be improved, he said.
Sam sets up Leadership Group for Promoting Urban Renewal
Meanwhile, Sam convened and chaired a regular meeting with his five policy secretaries on Friday, where he decided to set up a Leadership Group for Promoting Urban Renewal, according to a GCS statement yesterday.
During the meeting, Sam said that urban renewal is a vital issue concerning Macau’s urban image, safety, and resilience. It serves as a key measure to foster new drivers of economic growth and acts as a major development strategy during Macau’s 3rd Five-Year Plan period.
Sam said that the government will explore a comprehensive urban renewal model characterised by these elements: government guidance, market operation, tailored solutions for specific districts, integrated utilisation, and the combination of redevelopment, revitalisation, and district-based development.
According to the statement, the newly set-up leadership group, chaired by Sam, is tasked with leading and coordinating all respective public entities in implementing the government’s various urban renewal initiatives and measures.
The leadership group consists of two working groups, one of which is chaired by Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak and is tasked with studying legislation and policies necessary for advancing urban renewal. The other working group is chaired by Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man and is tasked with studying technical matters concerning urban renewal.
Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai addresses Friday’s banquet at MGM MACAU in Nape with all members of the Legislative Assembly (AL). – Photos: GCS
The 33 legislators attend Friday’s meeting at the Forum Macao Complex near Macau Tower to raise opinions on Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai’s 2027 Policy Address. The meeting was chaired by Sam.
