Gov’t to revise laws on consumer rights and private renting

Secretary for Administration and Justice Sonia Chan speaks at the conference opening ceremony

The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, pledged to prioritize the revision of legislation concerning consumer rights, private renting, and budget framework. Ms Chan added that the government will also launch a public consultation on the gradual revision of Macau’s Criminal Code.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 11th Cross-Strait Academic Conference on Public Administration, held at the University of Macau on Friday, Ms Chan told reporters that a public consultation on the revision of the civil servants’ central recruitment scheme will be launched in July.
The Secretary acknowledged that multiple laws need to be revised, but the government will put forward a plan to outline all its legislative priorities.
Regarding the restructuring of public administration departments, namely the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), Ms Chan stated that, “the restructuring of the IACM is going according to schedule as is the establishment of the new municipal body.”
She added that the government will be assessing the two entities’ duties and restructuring IACM accordingly.
“We will draft a plan this year for that municipal body,” she reiterated.
The establishment of a municipal body holding no political powers was announced by Chief Executive Chui Sai On when he delivered his 2015 Policy Address. According to Ms Chan, the “municipal body will be set up in accordance with Macau’s Basic Law and will offer services in the municipal, cultural and sports areas.”
The administration is also putting forward a plan for the restructuring and merging of the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Law Reform and International Law Bureau in June, said Ms Chan on the sidelines of the Lawyers’ Day opening ceremony held on Friday.
This year’s Cross-Strait Academic Conference on Public Administration, which took place between Friday and Saturday, focused on “the modernization of public governance.”
Organized by the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) and the University of Macau’s Faculty of Social Sciences, the conference “allowed for the discussion of public administration matters as experts and scholars gathered here to exchange their ideas and experiences, and it improves public services performance,” said Ms Chan.
Ms Chan recalled that since its launch in 2005, the conference has had a great impact on the public administration area both in Macau and Hong Kong.
Regardless of constant changes across the globe, the Secretary stated, “the Macau government has been flexible in its approach and has continuously implemented public administration reforms, striving to improve the government’s performance and meet the population’s demands, namely regarding public services.”