Policy Address | CE prefers to study universal suffrage at a better time

One of the topics that lawmaker Sulu Sou considers missing from Ho Iat Seng’s Policy Address for 2020 is political reform.
Questioning the Chief Executive (CE) at the Legislative Assembly question and answer session on Tuesday, Sou heard that Ho Iat Seng is supportive of the idea of implementing a system that includes universal suffrage for the CE position but stated that this is not the best time to address such a matter.
“I did not introduce this matter in the Policy Address Report for 2020 because [we] just started this mandate and we do not yet have enough of a foundation to start this discussion,” answered Ho.
“I was never against the idea of universal suffrage and I agree that people have the right to vote but I do not think this matter is a priority for the Policy Address for this year.”
Furthermore, the CE explained that although he thinks that the democratization of the electoral system is the right path to follow, it is not a priority at the moment as Macau is facing several important challenges due to the current economic conditions resulting from the Covid-19 outbreak.
“I agree that this is the direction we are heading towards but we need to have the right timing. For the time being, the economic recovery is more important,” Ho said. “I am not saying that you are not right, but we need to do something very different first.”