Gabriel Tong: AAM can do more to defend Macau’s law

Former lawmaker Gabriel Tong believes that the Macau Lawyers Association (AAM) can do more to defend Macau’s law.

Contacted by the Times yesterday, Gabriel Tong, who is also the current dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau, said that AAM “has done some work [to defend Macau’s law], but it can do more.”

“There are many aspects needing improvement. I wrote articles before talking about Macau’s judiciary procedures. […] I think these [improvements] do not necessarily have to be done today or tomorrow, but must follow some standards: impartiality, fairness, and market adaptation,” said Tong.

In the former lawmaker’s opinion, Macau’s lawyers still have a lot of room for improvement.

“After all, our [lawyers’ association] development period is not that long, […] but the difficulties we have been encountering are a lot,” said Tong.

Questioned by the Times regarding AAM’s upcoming presidential election, Tong hopes that the future president can be someone capable of leading Macau’s lawyers.

When Tong was asked about the announcement of lawyer Sérgio de Almeida Correia as a candidate for AAM president, Tong refused to comment on specific election candidates.

“I know about [that announcement], but I have few comments. I still don’t know who will run for the presidency. I think it’s better [for me] to keep a neutral stance,” Tong stated, adding, “I don’t want to comment on the overall election either.”

“I have spent quite a long period in the lawyers’ industry. I hope they will not be influenced by the kinds of different opinions they receive, and hope they can make their own judgments. So […] before the election, I [will not] say some words to give people a feeling that [I] have a specific preference.”

Not only did Tong refuse to offer his opinion on individual candidates for the AAM presidency, he also did not comment on current AAM president Jorge Neto Valente, having explained that “it is improper to comment on someone who will possibly run for the presidency.”

When talking about his personal expectations for the future president, Tong said, “I hope [the future president] has leadership capabilities, and can lead Macau’s lawyers when facing great changes in the society, therefore moving forward. Of course, all lawyers have to choose based on their own judgments.”

Elections for the AAM board will be held in the first fortnight of December. The deadline for list submission is October 31.

In the previous election, the participation rate was over 50 percent, with about 200 votes cast.

The current president, Jorge Neto Valente, recently said in an interview with Radio Macau that “the time has come for a total renovation of the AAM’s board,” hinting that he does not want to run again. Valente has been at the helm of the barrister’s association for decades.