Labor Day | Cloee Chao says demonstrator numbers on the decline

A scene from last year’s Labor Day demonstrations

Cloee Chao, a frequent organizer and leader of protests held across the city, said she has noticed a decline in the number of participants in demonstrations.

Interviewed by the Times, Chao, founder of the Macau Gaming Industry Frontline Workers’ Union, noted that “in Macau, residents are wholly disappointed at the government and at the companies. [Residents] think that despite coming out to express their opinions, the government will take note of their opinions but [the government] maintains the same attitude. […] These people are desperate to the point where they have no hope nor courage to walk out and take part [in the demonstrations].”

“In the past, I used to feel we had many people [attending]. [After] we expressed our opinions, there would be improvements. [However, now] we see that our opinions are completely ignored,” lamented Chao.

In Chao’s opinion, the current situation has poor ramifications for the city.

When explaining the reasons behind the daily fading of people, who are enthusiastic to express their opinions through public activities, Chao indicated that the main reason lies in the administration system.

“The government officials and businessmen comprise […] a single body. A government official is one person, the lawmaker is the same person and the boss is also that same person. They continuously rip off our benefits,” complained Chao.

“[Groups which organize demonstrations] have been suppressed one by one, but there are still many of them. […] The situation concerning the young generation has also deteriorated, [because] they were disappointed [in the beginning]. They [the youth] also worry that their company [employers] will create problems [due to their participation in demonstrations],” she added.

Several groups have planned to organize demonstrations on Labor Day, including associations from the gaming industry and those from the Pearl Horizon pre-sale buyers group.

Chao told the Times that she expects approximately 500 people to attend this year’s demonstration, led by herself. Protestors will assemble today, at 3:30 p.m., in the NAPE area, and will start marching at 4 p.m.

The main goal of this particular demonstration is to ask casinos to give 14-month salaries per year; to increase salaries by a minimum of 5 percent annually; to cancel CCAS radiation gambling tables; and to better control smoking in prohibited areas.

Kou Meng Pok, president of the Pearl Horizon Proprietors Association, told the Times through a phone interview that his group has applied for a permit from the police authority to organize a demonstration of 5,000 participants.

When questioned by the Times as to whether there are declining participants in their demonstrations each year, Kou said “I don’t have such a feeling. Sometimes, some people are tired, they take a rest [sit out the demonstration], but then others take their place.”

Kou’s group will start its demonstration today at the Polytec Group headquarters.

Last year, during International Labour Day, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) reported that approximately 2,600 people participated in demonstrations. 

According to a PSP statement which was released yesterday, one group and four Macau individuals applied to hold organized demonstrations today.

Police issues warning ahead of May 1

The Public Security Police Force (PSP) issued a warning last week over the Labor Day demonstrations, which was reiterated yesterday during the police press conference.

In the note to demonstrators, the PSP appeals to organizers and participants to conduct their actions in a “legal and safe manner and following all the police orders and instructions on site.” The PSP spokesperson said that demonstrators “should try not to affect the social order of the population.”

The same spokesperson added as a warning to the participants to “not be affected by agitators that would lead them to have irrational behaviors,” noting that “if the law [regarding assembly and reunion] is breached the perpetrators will be accused of aggravated disobedience.”

The police forces will not show any tolerance, the spokesperson added, warning “any illegal behavior will be prosecuted.”

The police spokesperson also said that since “it is forecasted that the street marches will gather a lot of people [participants] the police will enforce all measures to control the activities” in order to prevent the disruption of the normal activity of the city.  RM