Macau authorities have not yet replied to the New Macau Association’s request to hold a protest on Saturday, but the pro-democracy group’s vice-president, Bill Chou, is convinced it will not encounter any hurdles, since the law is clear when entitling them to organize such a demonstration.
Saturday marks the 15th anniversary of the MSAR’s establishment, and Chinese president Xi Jinping will be in town to participate in the SAR Day’s events.
The protest, Chou said, is intended to advocate for a change in the city’s political system through the implementation of “a real universal suffrage.”
“We call upon the SAR government to propose to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress to kick-start the political reform. We also call upon the government to undertake the first round of consultations next year so as to introduce the universal suffrage of the Chief Executive, as well as the full house of the legislative assembly,” Chou stated.
The association is planning the protest in cooperation with Youth Dynamics and has notified the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau of its intention to hold a demonstration and an assembly.
According to Bill Chou, activists are unconcerned about the lack of response from authorities, as the law entitles them to organize a protest, with authorities having only limited say in the demonstration’s route – which is often subject to change due to security reasons.
Pro-democracy advocates plan to kick off the demonstration on Saturday at 2:00pm at Tap Seac Square, and then walk to the Nam Van Lake area before finishing at Penha Garden with a assembly scheduled for 5:00pm, to discuss the implementation of universal suffrage.
With Hong Kong’s Occupy Central movement culminating in the clearing of the remaining occupied parts of town last week, some have speculated whether Hong Kong activists will head to Macau on Saturday to make their voices heard by president Xi Jinping.
Bill Chou told a press conference yesterday that they do not know if the neighboring SAR’s activists will join their demonstration on Saturday. If so, Chou hopes that local authorities do not prevent them from entering Macau.
“Until now we do not know whether there are democrats from Hong Kong joining us. From time to time we hear that there are democrats or journalists who are not allowed to enter Macau. That is true and we are unhappy about it as it stains the image of Macau as a city of tourism,” he stated, adding that they do not want the local government to prevent anyone holding legal documentation from entering the territory.
The New Macau Association will be handing out leaflets and other materials to further explain the concept of universal suffrage. They will be distributing these materials near local schools as well.
Today, pro-democracy lawmakers Au Kam San and Ng Kuok Cheong will be handing in a petition at the government’s headquarters advocating for universal suffrage.
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