Gov’t restructures several entities, aiming to save resources, increase efficiency

[Photo: Renato Marques]

The Secretary for Administration and Justice and spokesperson of the Executive Council, Wong Sio Chak, announced yesterday that the government is restructuring several entities and departments to save human and financial resources and increase efficiency.

At a press conference at the government’s headquarters yesterday afternoon, Wong presented four new administrative regulations that will take effect next week (Sept. 1) and said ExCo has concluded its analysis and approval.

As a common feature, the new administrative regulations aim to streamline the bureaucracy and reduce the workforce by merging some entities, reducing the number of posts on the administrative boards of some public funds, and changing the supervisory responsibilities of some bureaus, such as moving the Macau Conservatory from under the umbrella of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) to the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ).

As Wong noted at several points during yesterday’s press conference, the government formulated these administrative regulations to clarify responsibilities, simplify internal structures, advance its administrative reform efforts and increase the government’s overall efficiency while providing better services to residents.

CC and FDCT to merge into DSEDT

In the first of the new regulations presented, the government announced the merger of the Consumer Council (CC) and the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) with the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT).

Following the aims previously mentioned, the government will reduce the staff positions of these entities, which, before the merger, had a combined total of three director-level leaders, five department-director-level leaders, 11 departments and 16 divisions.

After the reconfiguration, the entities will have one director, two deputy directors, seven departments and 11 divisions, consequently reducing the number of staff posts from 311 to 259.

Commenting on the matter, Wong added, “Since existing positions in the staffing establishment have not been fully filled, the reduction in the number of these positions will not affect the status of the current staff members.”

He also added that this restructuring “optimizes and refines the organizational framework across several key areas, promoting the quality development of traditional industries and SMEs, accelerating the cultivation of high-tech industries, optimizing support for technology enterprises, driving the commercialization of the technology industry, among others.”

Addressed in a separate administrative regulation but still related to this merger is the restructuring of the FDCT itself, under which the government has decided to maintain its status as an autonomous fund but with a “lighter” administrative committee.

Wong announced that the FDCT committee will consist of five members and that their remuneration will be modified from the current monthly payment based on the corresponding public service salary points to a monthly payment equivalent to 50% of 100 points on the public service salary index.

Furthermore, the FDCT will have no internal structure, subsidiary units, or staff of its own, and will operate under the DSEDT, which will provide all necessary administrative and technical support.

DSASG, four related bureaus to undergo ‘weight-loss diet’

Another department that will undergo a significant reduction is the Government Headquarters Affairs Bureau (DSASG), the public department responsible for providing support and assistance to all departments at the government headquarters, including the Office of the Chief Executive (CE), the offices of the secretaries and all other entities designated by the CE on administrative, financial, technical, and logistical issues and all other matters essential for the regular operation of the headquarters.

According to Wong, the ExCo has concluded its analysis and approved the administrative regulation on the organization and operations of the DSASG, which aligns with the policy direction.

Accordingly, it was decided that the DSASG will centrally assume the administrative, financial, information, and technology support functions of the four departments under the CE to achieve centralized resource management.

The amendment reorganizes the existing organizational structure from one director, two deputy directors, three departments, and eight divisions to one director, one deputy director, three departments, and six divisions.

Following the reorganization of the four related bureaus, including the Policy, Research and Regional Development Bureau (DSEPDR), Government Information Bureau (GCS), Public Asset Supervision Bureau (DSGAP), and Personal Data Protection Bureau (DSPDP), the total reduction will be one deputy director, one department, and four divisions.

Amendments will also apply concurrently to the Standing Committee for the Coordination of Social Affairs, which will abolish the post of secretary-general.

According to Wong, “the original personnel of the committee will be transferred to the Labour Affairs Bureau, with the current legal employment status being based on the restructuring of the organizational framework and functional optimization.”

In total, the DSASG and the four other bureaus will be reduced from 411 staff members to 338. In particular, the bureau that will see the largest staff reduction is the DSEPDR, which will shrink from 120 to 89 workers (-31), while the DSASG will lose 19 workers, falling to 118.

Also commenting on the loss of a significant number of job posts, Wong noted that this would not constitute a problem since “existing job posts of these five bureaus have not been fully filled; the reduction in the number of these positions will not affect the status of current staff members.”

Wong also noted that, following the restructuring, the number of staff members supported by the DSASG will increase by 214 workers from the four bureaus, bringing the total number of supported staff to 713.

Still, some workers, namely those in administrative, financial, and IT support tasks, will undergo an interdepartmental transfer, with 15 workers to be transferred to the DSASG, while another 30 will be sent back to their original departments by the DSASG to carry out driver and general clerical duties. Another 16 staff members will be reassigned in the future to other departments that need corresponding positions.

The Secretary and ExCo spokesperson remarked that through the optimization of the organizational framework and the repositioning of functions, “this restructuring brings the administrative, finance, and IT tasks of the four bureaus under the centralized management of the DSASG, thereby improving overall administrative efficiency, and it is going to enhance and maximize resource utilization benefits and reduce the repetition of personnel allocation.”

He also added that the restructuring “strengthens the auxiliary functions of the DSASG in matters such as protocol, research and analysis of data, publicity, and logistics. It effectively promotes planning, coordination, and implementation of these tasks among all relevant departments, thereby achieving an upgrade in governance efficiency.”

Conservatory to move from IC to DSEDJ

As mentioned, the final administrative regulation will move the Macau Conservatory from under the IC to the umbrella of DSEDJ.

Wong remarked on the topic that besides the general idea already outlined of increasing efficiency and saving resources, this change also aims to “align with the policy guidelines on the ‘1+4’ economic diversification strategy and the positioning of Macau as a City of Performing Arts.”

In addition to this change in supervision, Wong noted that an executive order will be issued to establish two separate entities under the DSEDJ: one that designates the Conservatory as a regular public non-tertiary education institution and another that creates the Macau Conservatory Education Center, which provides vocational and artistic education for lifelong learning (Continuous Education).

As he explained, students currently enrolled at the Macau Conservatory will maintain their academic curriculum and graduation rights, and the Conservatory will make structural adjustments aligned with the organization, management, and operation of public non-tertiary education institutions.

Teaching and administrative staff will transfer to the DSEDJ with their legal employment status and terms, and the curriculum will remain stable.

“On the premise of continuing the Macau Conservatory’s unique role in arts education, the SAR government will leverage synergies across the education system to elevate teaching standards and ensure its long-term sustainable development,” Wong added.

According to IC director Deland Leong, the change will involve moving 28 teachers from the IC to the DSEDJ, with the same happening to all administrative staff.

Restructuring of AMCM, IC and ID to be complete this year

Questioned by the media on the topic of the ongoing administrative reform and bureau restructuring, Wong Sio Chak stated that in the second half of 2026, it is expected that the restructuring of the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM), as well as the ongoing restructuring involving the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) and the Sports Bureau (ID), will be completed.

According to Wong, these reforms should be complete by November this year, around the time of the release of the Policy Address for 2027 (LAG 2027), which, he said, will bring more developments in government reforms.

He also noted that the restructuring of IC and ID will also involve the Sports Fund (FD).

“In the second half of the year, we are going to restructure the AMCM in August and October, and then IC, ID, and FD are going to be merged. We aim to finish everything before the end of December. Still, I believe we can complete everything by the end of November,” he said, adding, “And when we release the policy address, we are going to give you more news about further restructuring of other government entities and departments.”