Preliminary review of AL electoral law to be drafted this year

Sonia Chan

The government will be drafting a preliminary revision of Macau’s Legislative Assembly (AL) electoral law this year, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, revealed yesterday on the sidelines of an AL Standing Committee meeting.
“We’re striving to complete the electoral law revision before 2017. Of course, this year we are trying to complete a preliminary revision,” she claimed. The draft would then be subject to public consultation.
Ms Chan told reporters that by reviewing current legislation on AL elections, the government is hoping to “improve competitiveness while reinforcing impartiality and fairness in [lawmakers’] indirect elections.”
The government will be cooperating with the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) to review the electoral law, she added.
The Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau (SAFP) is currently assessing a report drafted by the Electoral Affairs Commission on the 2013 AL elections. Based on SAFP’s assessment, the government will then be able to review the law.
Meanwhile, Ms Chan revealed that Macau, China and Hong Kong are yet to reach a final agreement on an extradition treaty that is currently under discussion. She added that international cooperation on legal matters has its own principles, while regional cooperation requires Macau to defend its ‘one country, two systems’ mantra.
She reiterated that once the Macau, Hong Kong and mainland China governments reach an agreement, they will sign the treaty as soon as possible. Ms Chan said they’re hoping to sign it within this year.
Negotiations for a similar treaty with Taiwan have not yet began, she revealed.
The SARs have been discussing signing an extradition treaty and a mutual legal assistance agreement. Once the treaty comes into effect, fugitives who take refuge in one of the SARs to avoid punishment in the other city will be returned. The mutual legal assistance scheme will allow for the collection and exchange of information on criminal matters.

bribery conviction ‘does not affect election result’

The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, has said that, according to the local law, a bribery conviction of two staff members of Chan Meng Kam’s campaign bid will not affect the election results at this point. She declined to comment further on the case. Chan Meng Kam reigned victorious in the 2013 AL elections, managing to secure his seat and those of Si Ka Lon and Song Pek Kei. In a reply to TDM, the Chief Executive’s Office said that Chui Sai On is paying attention to the bribery case, and is waiting to hear from the lawmakers’ office. Meanwhile, the three lawmakers declined to comment on the case, stating they would be holding a joint press conference, probably today.