NPC reviews Ho Iat Seng withdrawal

The 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee is reviewing the resignation submitted by Ho Iat Seng, the chairman of Macau’s Legislative Assembly (AL) and the first declared candidate of the 2019 Chief Executive election.

During the first meeting of the 10th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee, the committee reviewed Ho’s resignation request.

Last week, Ho confirmed he was putting himself forward as the first declared candidate in the race to become Macau’s next Chief Executive.

According to the regulation, Macau’s NPC members are automatically members of the Election Committee of the Chief Executive election, and members of the election committee are not eligible to run for the office of Chief Executive. Ho thus requested to resign from the NPC.

Following the announcement, Ho cautioned that he still needs authorization from Beijing.

Ho said that one factor leading to his decision to become a candidate in the fifth Chief Executive election was his friends’ encouragement. According to Ho’s account, his friends wanted him to use his experience from his time at the Legislative Assembly and the National People’s Congress to run Macau.

Though, he is yet to formulate a platform for his campaign, Ho indicated that his two primary objectives would be to improve people’s livelihoods and promote the integration of Macau into the Greater Bay Area.

Since 2001, Ho has been member of the Standing Committee of the NPC. In 2003, he was appointed as a board member of Jinan University.

Ho was a member of the Executive Council of Macau between 2004 and 2009.

In 2009, he became a lawmaker at the Macau Legislative Assembly and was the vice-chairman. In 2013, he became chairman of the AL.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission for the Chief Executive Election is separately warning the representatives of all groups entitled to participate in the Chief Executive election of the need to submit their registrations by today, the Commission said in a statement.

The Commission notes that the election of members of the Electoral Commission for the Chief Executive Election will be held on June 16 and the representatives of groups that wish to exercise their right to stand for such election must nominate and present their decisions by today at the Public Administration Building.

The groups should ensure that their nominated individual has not been designated as a representative of any other group or association and that such person’s name is listed as a legal voter on the latest list issued in January this year. JZ/RM