Ho Iat Seng will not seek re-election due to health issues

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has announced yesterday that he will not run for re-election due to health issues. This decision comes just a month after the government extended his leave, which began on June 21. This leave marks his first significant break since he took office on Dec. 20, 2019.

In a statement from the Government Information Bureau (GCS), Ho clarified that his health “has not been fully restored” and expressed his gratitude for the support he has received throughout his term.

“I have profound feelings for Macau and have done my utmost for Macau’s development, but due to the fact that my health has not been fully restored, for the sake of Macau’s long-term development and from the perspective of the overall situation, I have decided not to participate in the election for the sixth-term Chief Executive,” he said.

“As the term of office of the fifth Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region is coming to an end, I, Ho Iat Seng, sincerely thank the Central Government, all sectors of Macau society, and our residents for their full trust and steadfast support over the past five years. I would also like to thank all the civil servants for their close collaboration and coordination,” he added.

Ho Iat Seng is notable for being the first Chief Executive to serve only one term.

In May, following a visit from Xia Baolong, the top official for Hong Kong and Macau affairs, questions arose about Ho’s potential re-election.

However, Ho clarified that no discussions regarding his replacement took place during Xia’s inspection of the SAR.

Last weekend, Shi Taifeng, a 68-year-old official who sits on the Politburo — the country’s top decision-making body — was in town for a two-day visit. He was said to have met with all the key officials and conveyed the messages of the resolution adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee held in mid-July.

Sam Hou Fai on queue

A source familiar with the process, who requested anonymity, told the Times earlier this week that if Ho decided not to seek reelection, top judge Sam Hou Fai would run for the top post.

On Dec. 20, 1999, Sam was appointed by the then-Chief Executive as the president of the Court of Final Appeal of the SAR. He also serves as the President of the Council of the Judicial Magistrates.

Born in May 1962 in China and raised in Zhongshan, he began university in 1978 and attended law school in 1981, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in law from Peking University. After practicing law in China, he moved to Macau in 1986, studied at the University of Coimbra, and joined the Public Prosecutions Office of Macau in 1995.

Other personalities being touted as potential nominees include members of Ho’s government, André Cheong, Wong Sio Chak and Prosecutor General Ip Son Sang.

According to political scientist Sonny Lo, the new Chief Executive is expected to continue focusing on economic and livelihood issues, similar to Ho.

“But the election will be more competitive as we can expect more than one candidate,” Lo told the Times.

“An interesting factor is the youthfulness of some members of the Election Committee and their orientation will make the election quite uncertain and competitive. Given China’s concern about national security, any candidate from a disciplinary and legal background may have a competitive edge,” he added.

So far, Jorge Chiang, the president of the Macau Lotus Chamber of Commerce and the Macau Society of Institutional Studies, is the only individual who has announced his intention to run.

In a Facebook post last month, Chiang pledged to establish a responsible and clean government, governed by the rule of law, with people as the priority. 

Electoral process

The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive (CAECE) of Macau announced last week that the official period for the nomination of candidates for the Chief Executive Election will run from Aug. 29 to Sep. 12.

During this period, potential candidates must submit their applications in person or through a designated representative at the Electoral Affairs Service Counter located in the Public Administration Building. They will need to collect and submit the “Nomination Form for the Chief Executive Election” within the specified period.

All candidates must “affirm their commitment to the Basic Law and their loyalty to the People’s Republic of China and the Macau SAR,” according to the commission’s statement.

With input from the State Security Commission of the Macau SAR (CDSE), the CAECE will verify the eligibility of all candidates.

The nomination process requires the support of at least 66 members of the Electoral Commission, as stipulated by the Chief Executive Electoral Law. The CAECE’s decisions regarding candidate eligibility are final, with no recourse for appeal.

According to Executive Order No. 40/2024, published in the Official Gazette on Aug. 12, the election date for the Chief Executive has been set for Oct. 13, 2024.