Group marches to hurry animal protection legislation

Hundreds of residents yesterday afternoon participated in a protest organized by the Abandoned Animals Protection Association of Macau (AAPAM), demanding that lawmakers pass the Animal Protection Bill as soon as possible.
The protestors gathered at Tap Seac Square at around 3.30 p.m. before marching to the Legislative Assembly (AL).
The AAPAM president, Yoko Choi, admitted to the crowd that the number of participants in yesterday’s protest might not have been as high as expected, because some residents wrongly believed that the Animal Protection Bill had already been passed. She said that the bill is still in the legislative process and cautioned protestors that lawmakers might stall the legislation if residents do not persist with the issue.
Lawmaker Au Kam San, who joined the protest yesterday, assured the protestors that under the new law, animal abuse will be a criminal act and perpetrators may face jail time. As a member of the AL First Standing Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the drafted legislation in detail, he said that the committee has already been investigating the bill in detail, and has estimated that the review is expected to reach completion within two to three months. Au also called on protestors to read the draft themselves on the AL website to ensure that the quality of the legislation meets the demands of the public.
On the sidelines of the demonstration, Yoko Choi said that she hopes the AL committee can review the legislation prudently and speedily. She also pointed out that there are issues that require clarification in the draft. For example, Choi is not certain whether the public should approach the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) or the police upon discovering cases of animal abuse. “For us as residents, we think that it is more effective to call the police than the IACM. When encountering [animal abuse], we think that police can provide a more efficient and effective way to support us,” she said.
The Times spoke to Jack Wu, a local artist who previously helped organize an AAPAM fundraising event and also took part in yesterday’s demonstration. He believes that every resident will support the Animal Protection Bill, as it is necessary to defend the rights of animals in Macau. He also hopes that the police authorities will help in enforcing the future animal protection laws.
AAPAM claimed that around 800 people joined their demonstration yesterday, while the police claimed that the number was about 380.