Jason Chao to quit ANM, will launch civil platform in April

Jason Chao

Jason Chao, vice president of the New Macau Association (ANM), has resigned from his post and withdrawn his membership from the association, citing plans to launch a new civil platform dedicated to promoting and monitoring election fairness.

Following Chao’s announcement of his resignation via Facebook last  Thursday, he answered questions on the matter at an ANM press conference the following day regarding Taishan’s nuclear power plant.

“Last night, I formally notified all members of the New Macau Association about my decision to leave the New Macau Association on the 31st of March this year,” he confirmed.

The night before the press conference, Chao wrote on Facebook that ANM and the region’s civil society had undergone a transformation in the past 11 years.

“A decade ago, it was hard to imagine that Macau would not be short of political critics and protest organizers. However, I hope Macau civil society will move forward not in the absence of values,” the former vice president said.

Chao, who also co-founded LGBT rights group Rainbow of Macau, confirmed that he would not run for the next Legislative Assembly election.

He added that his personality and physical condition makes him unsuitable for a lawmaker position.

The activist said he will cut ties with the association to avoid any conflict of interest with his plans for the platform, which is slated for an April release.

“After evaluation and careful consideration, I decided to leave the New Macau Association because I will start a new project in early April […] about the promotion and monitoring of election fairness in Macau,” Chao revealed to the press.

“To keep the new project credible, and to detach myself from all possible conflicts of interest, I have to disassociate myself from all political groups that would run for the legislature.”

Chao noted that Macau is in need of a more vibrant civil society.

“We cannot deny the fact that the civil society of Macau has been very weak in comparison with our neighboring regions.”

Chao will organize a second press conference today at 1 p.m. to further discuss his resignation.