CE ‘not pressured’ by democracy referendum

Chui Sai On has reiterated that the upcoming civil referendum on the Chief Executive is “against the Basic Law” and claimed that he does not feel pressured by the event.
“We are against the referendum. How can we be pressured by something that we are against?” – he asked during an inspection tour of the reclamation zone A last Friday.
The CE said that the government and its senior officials, as well as the Central Government Liaison Office in Macau, have all made their stance clear with regards to the issue. He said that, in his opinion, the referendum is against the Basic Law because there is only one electoral mechanism for the CE.
Mr Chui also asked the public to observe the Basic Law. “If there are opinions to express, there are many methods. We are willing to listen and pass on these opinions to the central government. However, according to the law in Macau, there is only one way to elect the Chief Executive. Other measures that deviate from it, I believe, are against the basis of the law.”
Nevertheless, he refused to comment as to whether the organizers and participants of the referendum have broken the law. “I cannot judge whether someone has broken the law based on an action that is yet to be carried out. I am also not qualified. We, as the executives, will keep on observing the matter. Even if there is [a need] to enforce the law, we also have an independent judicial system to handle it. This is very fair.”

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