Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak has again insisted that the local authority does not have an entry ban blacklist. His comment came after Macau’s rejection of entry to Albert Ho, lawyer and former president of the Hong Kong Democratic Party.
On Friday afternoon, Ho’s entry to Macau was rejected, while two other people, who he claimed to be his clients, were admitted to the city.
Macau immigration rejected his entry on the grounds that Ho “poses a danger to Macau’s public safety,” a reason the local security authority has invoked in previous cases related to high-profile people from Hong Kong.
Ho claimed he was visiting Macau with his clients to handle a law case related to the will of Winnie Ho, Stanley Ho’s sister, who died in August at the age of 95.
“I have been handling this case for over 10 years. I represent her son in continuing to handle her will in Macau, including her shares in SJM Holdings Limited,” said Ho.
After a round of questioning, Ho, who had originally planned to return to Hong Kong on the same day, was eventually rejected from entering Macau.
“I thought I could enter because it was clear that it [my visit] was a business-related meeting,” said Ho, who had successfully entered Macau in May for the same reasons.
“I am not entirely clear about the real reason. Is it related to the National Day? [But] last time I went there, it was just a few days before the Tiananmen massacre on June 4,” said Ho.
Ho suspects that the Macau government is tightening its policies in order to “scare Hong Kong people.”
“Are they tightening the policy against Hong Kong people to create pressure on young people, making them feel that if they participate in these political activities, then, in the future, they won’t be able to go to the mainland or to Macau?” asked Ho.
“I thought they would search my bag or my documents, or check my phone, but they did not,” said Ho.
Macau’s Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak has on previous occasions said that the decision to deny the entry of certain Hong Kong residents bears no relation to their profession. He has also denied the existence of a blacklist and said that such decisions are “normal practice” for every country worldwide.
Asked about this most recent case, Wong also argued that no criminal would admit to be coming to Macau to commit a crime.
When asked whether he would recommend that Hong Kong residents who had previously participated in demonstrations to not come to Macau, Wong said that “we will not make such suggestion” and that Macau would not use participation in a demonstration or assembly as criteria to ban entry.
It is not the first case of Macau immigration officers barring Hong Kong-based journalists or pro-democracy activists from entering the SAR.
Last year, several writers dropped out of the Macau Literary Festival after authorities allegedly instructed event organizers that they might not be permitted to enter.
In the aftermath of Typhoon Hato and during the 2017 Legislative Assembly election, Macau authorities prevented 15 journalists from entering the SAR, as well as a number of lawmakers and activists. According to immigration authorities, these individuals constituted a threat to the city’s stability and security. JZ
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