Policy Address | Zheng continues pressuring government over Land Law

Raimundo do Rosário (center)

Lawmaker Zheng Anting has continued to pressure the government, in particular the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, regarding the region’s Land Law and the Pearl Horizon case.

“The law has been repeatedly updated, but the procedures behind waiting times for land approval are getting longer and longer. The residents await […] if approval procedures are slow, the housing supply is slow, and the housing price goes up,” said Zheng on Friday during the second day of the policy address presentation by Rosário, adding that “the developers can only wait for the land.”

“However, after the Land Law, even the lands that were approved can be reclaimed by the government, and all because of one word: ‘wait’.”

The lawmaker requested that Rosário explain to him the difference between Construction Period and Utilization Period.

“Utilization means that the government has granted you approval to use the land. But, before the construction, the developer must have a project permit […]. If these conditions are not met, the contractors can only sit and wait again,” said Zheng.

“On what basis does the government not approve the land? Sometimes it’s the urban planning, sometimes it’s the environmental evaluation. There are many reasons. The contractors waited for 25 years. When it comes to the year of 2013, the Land Law suddenly started claiming that if a piece of land doesn’t have the temporary concession, then the government will take it back,” said Zheng.

The lawmaker used an example of a housing project, located in Coloane, to validate his opinions. Afterwards, he talked about the Pearl Horizon Project.

“Before the Land Law, the government could grant the developer approval to sell the houses, [for] banks to [issue] loans, small buyers to register. But, in 2013, when the Land Law came out, the government issued the construction permit. Then, how could the developer finish more than 5,000 housing units?” Zheng questioned.

“Where is justice? […] I hope that, when the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) comes to question you, the Secretary; you have to shoulder the responsibility, and you let CCAC know that the responsibility [over the land’s expiration of utilization] doesn’t lie in the contractor,” said Zheng Anting.

“Every single case of ours that involves the Land Law amendment includes an abundant number of lawsuits, which are still in process. Some cases involve investigations and analyses, which we always actively coordinate with. At this current stage, it’s unsuitable for me to comment on the issues you are talking about,” said Li Canfeng, Director of the Land, Transport and Public Works.

Replying to Zheng, Rosário said that all those required permits “are not decided by us [his secretariat], but by the Land Law.”

“However, I can tell everyone that when there is a permit or an approval which takes a longer time, therefore wasting the applicants’ time, we [the government] always give more time to the applicants. Regarding other matters, I feel that it’s not proper to address them here,” said the Secretary, adding that “regarding the Land Law, everybody knows where is the problem.”

On the secretary’s agenda

PARTIAL BAN OF TOURISM BUSES Tourism buses have been partially banned from entering the eastern side of the border gate plaza, according to Transport Bureau (DSAT) director Lam Hin San. “Starting from tomorrow [last Friday], and between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., tourism buses will be banned from entering the eastern side of the border gate plaza,” said Lam, further explaining that the same policy will be effective during public holidays as well. “Hopefully, these buses can be diverted to the Macau port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, and to the Lotus border gate,” said Lam.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS In 2019, the government will supply 4,000 affordable housing units, Housing Bureau director Arnaldo Ernesto dos Santos announced. 25 percent of these 4,000 housing units will consist of one-room apartments, 33 percent of two-room apartments, and the remaining 42 percent of three-room apartments. In addition, Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo Arrais do Rosário noted that, in Hong Kong, it takes 4 and a half years for social house applicants to get their houses. “Macau will not be worse than Hong Kong,” said Raimundo.

4TH MACAU-TAIPA BRIDGE Regarding the fourth Macau-Taipa bridge, Raimundo do Rosário reported that the exit of the bridge on Taipa side will be connected to Av. da Wai Long.  Regarding the fifth cross-sea channel between the Macau Peninsula and Taipa, the channel will have six vehicles lanes, DSSOPT director Li Canfeng revealed, adding that the Light Rail Transit will be able to cross from Macau to Taipa there. The channel, which is currently being designed, will consist of an underwater tunnel approximately 2 kilometers long. There will be two tubes in total.

Fewer bus drivers in 2018

Transport Bureau (DSAT) director Lam Hin San has noted that, currently, Macau’s bus to bus driver ratio is 1 to 1.3. In 2017, the same ratio was 1 to 1.4.

In total, there are approximately 900 buses, and more than 1,300 bus drivers.

The number of passengers exceeds 710,000 on a daily basis. Lam encouraged bus companies to hire more drivers, despite the shortage of human resources.

Currently, Macau has a total of 100 buses powered by natural gas, of which 69 are public buses. The government planned, in its previous five-year plan, to increase the overall number of natural gas buses to 120, but Lam believes it is difficult for the government to achieve that goal due to a lack of natural gas stations.

Regarding transportation, DSAT canceled 0.8 percent of Macau’s total number of parking spaces, all of which were located along the streets.

On the other hand, the government increased the number of parking spaces in seven parking lots.

In regard to Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge shuttle buses, currently, the shuttle bus operator has a total of 138 buses available. The company plans to add an additional 50 buses during the Christmas holidays.

The governments of the three concerned regions are discussing the possibility of approving more shuttle buses.

Moreover, regarding the environmental protection measures concerning cars, the government hopes to provide a total of 172 charging stations for electrical vehicles by the end of this year.

In 2019, the government hopes to increase the number of charging stations to 210.

In the near future, the government will install charging stations for heavy-duty vehicles, hoping to continuously promote electrical tourism buses within the tourism industry.