Lawmakers want explanations over sacking of senior legal advisers

Paulo Cardinal

Lawmakers Pereira Coutinho, Ng Kuok Cheong and Sulu Sou have sent a letter to the board of the Legislative Assembly (AL) asking for explanations regarding the dismissal of senior legal advisers Paulo Cardinal and Paulo Taipa.

The news broke Saturday on Plataforma Media news outlet and caused a general sense of incredulity within the legal community.

Paulo Cardinal, 53, came to Macau in 1990 and Paulo Taipa, 50, arrived here in 1997. Cardinal moved to the AL in 1992 and Taipa followed in his colleague’s footsteps and joined the parliament in 2001. Cardinal was the longest-serving legal adviser in the AL.

“Through countless contacts in the past in various degree, we felt that the two advisors made countless input in legal discussion, providing the AL with different opinions and pluralistic interactions. Like many other legal advisers, they have used their deep understanding in the law to implement the values of the Basic Law and various legal documents. The quality of the legislation and deliberations of the AL have been improving over the years because of their input,” the lawmakers said in the letter.

Coutinho, Cheong and Sou continue stating that “the unexpected dismissals of the two are completely opposite to the goal of improving the work of the AL. Furthermore, the whole process is highly un-transparent. Even the legislators were never informed or consulted in the decision-making process. Many of us in the AL, the legal community and the public are deeply concerned and confused.”

The lawmakers jointly urge the AL board to explain the reasons the two senior advisers were dismissed, the procedures by which the decision is made, and the people involved in the decision- making process.