Directly elected legislators want more seats

Deputies of Macau elected by the population criticised the document on the revision of the electoral law by the Legislative Assembly for lacking references to a reform of the political system, requesting an increase in the number of those elected by universal suffrage.
“The government should give the population the right of choice in its representatives, with the objective of developing our democratic system,” said deputy Ng Kuok Cheong, at the presentation of the document in the Legislative Assembly, which was attended by Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan.
The pro-democrat Au Kam San said that “the increase in direct election seats (occurring in 2012) didn’t affect the stability of society; it also didn’t affect the administrative predominance, nor the development of the economy,” in requesting that the government increase the number of directly elected seats.
A total of 33 legislators currently make up the Legislative Assembly, following the political reform which had added four seats to the body, fixing the number at 14 directly elected legislators and 12 indirectly elected – elected via associations. The number of legislators nominated by the Chief Executive was unaltered in the reform, fixed at seven seats.
Following the political reform – which also included an increase of 100 seats in the electoral college, which elects the head of the government, fixing the number at 400 individuals – the deputies from the democratic wing have tried to reintroduce the theme on the political agenda, without success.
In Wednesday’s session, legislator José Pereira Coutinho considered that “the revision of the electoral law is not only related to aspects of electoral corruption,” and laments that the current law proposal does not contemplate the increase in the number of legislators elected by universal suffrage.
“In the last elections, a higher participation of the population was registered, therefore I believe that the respective seats of legislators elected by direct vote should be increased,” said the legislator.
Legislator Angela Leong also requested an increase in representation but of legislators elected by indirect vote (through associations). “Taking into account the development of Macau, there are more sectors emerging, and according to the current law in Macau only four sectors are taken into account, and I believe that is insufficient, therefore we should increase these sectors,” said the legislator.
Notwithstanding, other legislators rejected the idea of an increase in the number of legislators. “It’s not adequate to go forward with reform too quickly in our political development. Each country has different needs,” said Sio Chi Wai, following echoing opinions voiced by Gabriel Tong and Vong Hin Fai.
The monitoring of acts of corruption, including illicit acts committed outside of Macau was another of the concerns expressed by some of the legislators including Mak Soi Kun and Chui Sai Peng.
The mandatory declaration of elector activities that the government wants to introduce with the law revision was also the subject of legislators’ questions.
Directly elected legislator Leong Veng Chai questioned whether the criteria for considering the payment of meals or gifts to voters only applied to the campaigns of candidates directly elected.
The Assistant Commissioner of the Commission Against Corruption, Lam Chi Lon, said that: “it’s not possible to prohibit all of the activities because it is the right of the association (to conduct the activities)”.
Also under discussion were the limitations on introducing the dual-fidelity of the legislators, a question brought up last year by the candidacy to the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal by local legislator José Pereira Coutinho.
“I lament this immensely because in the Basic Law this incompatibility is not anticipated and I don’t understand why this time this limitation is being introduced,” said Coutinho.
The document revising the electoral law of the Legislative Assembly will be open to public consultation until 5th June, with the government’s objective to conclude the process before the next elections of the body in 2017.