Jose Chu, director of the Public Administration and Civil
Service Bureau and the chair of the Electoral Affairs Committee,
endorsed the final list of the candidates. No appeals were lodged
against any candidate following the publishing of the list on May
18.
According to the Chief Executive Election Law, which was passed
by the Macao Legislative Council in April, the 300 members of the
Election Committee represent four mainstream sectors of Macao
society. Applications are submitted within sectors.
The industrial, commercial and financial sector is the largest,
with 100 members. The second, 80-member sector includes the
cultural sub-sector (18 members), education (20), professionals
(30; 32 applications confirmed) and sports (12). The third sector,
also with 80 members, consists of the labor sub-sector (40) and
social services (34). The third sector also includes six specially
selected representatives of Macao's four main religions,
Catholicism (2), Buddhism (2), Protestantism (1), and Taoism
(1).
The fourth sector comprises Macao's 12 deputies to the National
People's Congress (NPC),
16 representatives of the legislature, and 12 representatives of
Macao’s members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC).
Chu said that the period for organizations to submit their lists
ended on Tuesday. For the sector with a more candidates than seats,
an election will be held, preparations for which are beginning
immediately.
The Macao SAR government has set June 27 as the date for the
election of the Election Committee for Macao’s next chief
executive. Candidates of the committee are allowed to campaign
between June 12 and 25.
There are about 2,000 legal associations and organizations in
Macao, 500 of which are elective societies. They are highly
representative of the SAR’s 451,000 people.
Under the Election Law, which is closely based on the Macao
Basic Law, the election of the chief executive by the Election
Committee must be held at least 60 days before the incumbent’s term
expires. Edmund Ho Hau Wah’s first five-year term will expire on
December 19 this year.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2004)