Au Kam San (left) and Ng Kuok Cheong pictured at the AL
Ng Kuok Cheong will not follow in the footsteps of New Macau Association (ANM) founding member Au Kam San, who last week announced his intentions to leave the pro-democracy association. Ng will continue to donate part of his salary as lawmaker to the association, maintaining a previous arrangement.
Au Kam San stated in an email that “establishing an association that promulgates democracy in a relatively conservative society is an act that faces tremendous pressure.”
Au added that a biased selection of association members has ensured that “certain groups can maintain their power.“
The association was founded on the principle of gathering people from different backgrounds, according to Au. However, he continued, “the association no longer resembles the one I helped found.”
The lawmaker also noted that he left to avoid infighting. Au has reportedly provided different excuses for his absence from recent association meetings.
The split within the association has been happening for a while. In September 2014, Ng Kuok Cheong told media that there had been changes in the cooperation model between the lawmakers elected through ANM lists (he and Au Kam San) and the association. Ng said that he and Au Kam San would handle their own administrative duties.
Eric Sautedé, a political commentator, noted that a public response from the ANM – currently presided over by Scott Chiang – is to be expected: “They will necessarily do so as Au Kam San is a very strong and respected voice of the democratic opposition – he was at the city council and has been and still is today at the Legislative Assembly,” he told the Times yesterday. Staff reporter
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