Power to authorize demonstrations to be transferred to police

The Executive Council has proposed a transfer of authorization for demonstrations and assembly from the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) to the Public Security Police Force (PSP), according to Leong Heng Teng, spokesperson of the Executive Council, who made an announcement in a press conference held on Friday.

The proposal concerns the amendment of the law of demonstration and assembly rights.

Currently, parties who intend to organize demonstrations or assemblies are required to inform the IACM president in writing. The IACM president, after being supplied with the relevant activity applications, will inform the PSP director.

The change is intended to preserve public order, and also to take into consideration the practicality of the situation, where currently the IACM president needs to inform the PSP about an application.

“In order to better carry out the related work, and better protect the order during assemblies and demonstrations, thus protecting the public security, as well as improving the [administration] efficiency, the SAR government suggests transferring IACM’s respective  functions [demonstrations and assemblies] to PSP,” Leong announced.

Leong pointed out that other aspects concerning the public’s right of holding demonstrations and assemblies will not be affected by the changes.

“It does not involve changes related to other regulations of the right for demonstration or the right for assembly,” explained Leong.

The Executive Council spokesperson further explained that “there is no problem regarding the shift from a civic to a non-civic matter [by transferring the rights from IACM to the PSP].”

He claimed that the change was made “only with the goal of preserving public order” and that it “does not involve substantial modifications.”

When asked whether Macau has been experiencing chaotic demonstrations, which could have led to the amendment of the law, Leong said that “this is not the problem.”

Leong also expressed that Macau’s demonstrations and assemblies have been conducted lawfully, and that the government has been implementing its functions according to the law.

According to Leong, the change has not been made in light of Macau’s current demonstration and assembly situation; it was only made out of practical considerations. 

Regarding why no previous public consultation was carried out for the proposal, given that is related to a human rights issue (freedom of speech), Leong noted that the change “does not weaken or reduce human rights [in Macau].”

According to Leong, IACM’s functions have been continuously transferred to other departments in recent years.