Lawmaker hammers gov’t’s progress in establishing non-governmental municipal body

Ng Kuok Cheong

Lawmaker Ng Kuok Cheong is requesting an answer from the government regarding progress into its research on the establishment of a municipal body. He is appealing for the authorities to cause no more delays through consultations with the public regarding what should be a directly elected institution.
Ng cited the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau’s response in May to his previous written inquiry, stating that “the SAR government is conducting studies regarding the establishment of a municipal body, and will consult the public duly, so as to determine the municipal body’s functions, powers and composition in the form of law, based on a consensus to be reached.”
However, the lawmaker raised criticisms that “until August when the Legislative Assembly was discussing the government’s bill on amending the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM)’s constitution, the Secretariat for Administration and Justice couldn’t give any answers regarding its research progress into establishing the municipal body; it couldn’t provide any information, and even stated that it was unable to consider the junction of functions between the future municipal body and the IACM.”
Legal scholars have long pointed out the absence of a non-governmental municipal body in Macau’s administration since the city’s handover, despite the fact that it is mentioned in the Basic Law. The municipal body is expected to effectively supervise the administration’s governance of issues regarding the livelihood of residents and to be able to take part in the Chief Executive Election Committee.
In a new written inquiry issued about the matter on Saturday, Ng Kuok Cheong stressed that, “preparing to set up the municipal body should not be delayed any more.” He further questioned which governmental department is responsible for the research into establishing the currently non-existent system, and whether the government would be able to present its research findings and launch a public consultation within the year. Furthermore, the lawmaker urged the government to ensure that the municipal body is directly elected by the district.  BY