Lawmakers back new association regime with national security provisions

Members of the Legislative Assembly (AL) have voiced their support for a proposed legal framework governing associations in Macau, which is currently being put out for public consultation.

The government held a closed-door consultation session with lawmakers early this week to discuss the bill, which introduces national security clauses into the regulatory regime.

According to a statement from the Identification Services Bureau (DSI) – which is set to become the sole supervisory authority for associations – 19 of the 33 deputies participated in the session, all expressing support for the legislative review.

Lawmakers said the proposed law affirms the “guarantees of the Basic Law regarding freedom of association and the fundamental rights” of residents.

Legislators also noted that the revision “contributes to improving the internal management system of associations and effectively guiding them toward positive development.”

The public consultation on the new regime runs until September.

In addition to the AL session, the government plans to hold a dedicated consultation for Macau’s representatives to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), along with three public sessions.

Questions raised by deputies during the meeting focused on the DSI’s supplementary work in areas such as policy dissemination, procedural guidance, and the digitization of processes, according to the bureau.

Other topics included requirements for establishing a general association, the relationship between umbrella groups and their affiliates, the use of registered addresses, remediation mechanisms, and founder qualifications.

The government presented the main elements of the legal framework on Monday.

Under the consultation document, the DSI may refuse the registration of an association “based on the needs of defending state security” and can refer the matter to the Commission for the Defense of State Security (CDSE) for assessment.

The proposal also grants the DSI the authority to dissolve associations deemed to “endanger state security” following a verification opinion from the CDSE.

Such dissolution decisions, based on national security grounds, would not be subject to appeal.

Government data show that the number of associations in Macau has surged from fewer than 2,000 before 1999 to over 12,000 today.

Of these, only about 60% maintain regular operations, while approximately 40% have been “inactive for a long time” or never became functional after registration.

During the AL session, Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak said existing legislation governing association formation and operation is “insufficient” to meet the needs of social development.

He stressed the necessity of drafting a new, dedicated legal regime for associations.

The government has stated that its goal is to refine the legal framework to ensure associations are supervised “effectively, fairly, and reasonably,” while preserving their freedom and autonomy.