Additional Secretary of Security powers approved unanimously without remarks

The Legislative Assembly (AL) plenary has approved, unanimously and without any remarks, amendments to two laws which the government suggested improving to make them consistent with the new Civil Protection Law that was approved in early August this year.
The newly-amended laws for Internal Security and of the Unitary Police Service (SPU) grant additional powers to the Secretary for Security, Wong Sio Chak, who will now oversee the overall operation and command of the civil protection structure.
The bills were finally approved with all votes in favor yesterday afternoon, in a plenary session that lasted less than 15 minutes. None of the lawmakers made any remarks, comments, or even vote declarations.
The two interlinked law amendments were scheduled to be approved together and will also enter into force concurrently on February 1, 2021.
The amendments were prompted by the new Civil Protection Law, which entered into force on September 15. It outlined that the role of joint commander will be a facility of the Secretary for Security. They will be assisted in the post by the Commissioner-General of the SPU, Leong Man Cheong, and will report directly to the Chief Executive.
Among the additional competencies now assigned to Wong are the capacity to make decisions and to mobilize public resources in case of natural disasters, catastrophes, and other events that relate to public security.
The Internal Security Law also redefines the classification of the security forces, abolishing the separation between militarized and non-militarized divisions, specifically for the member departments of the internal security force.
Since the government decided on the removal of the classification of militarized forces, all departments within the internal security structure will be, from now on, collectively referred to as public institutions making up the internal security system.
As mentioned in the presentation by the Chairmen of both AL Standing Committees that discussed the bills in detail, the number of articles amended is few and consensus was gained among the government and the members of the First and Third Standing Committees.
Other minor amendments made on this occasion included an update to the official names of the Civil Aviation Authority, Port Authority of Macau, the Municipal Affairs Bureau, and Macau Prisons, as well as the designation of all relevant departments, entities, and their leading bodies.