Lawmaker Sulu Sou disclosed that his team at the New Macau Association has faced harassment and the threat of bodily harm from various sources in the past year.
The lawmaker discussed the threats and their impact at a press conference dedicated to the review of work from his second year at the Legislative Assembly. The topic was brought up during the discussion on recent cases related to human rights and freedom of expression.
The lawmaker was asked to comment on the Public Security Police Force’s refusal of a peaceful assembly announced by Jason Chao, a well-known political activist. Sou said he found the refusal disturbing.
The police has recently turned down several assembly announced by local residents, among them a silent standstill originally planned to take place in Senado Square.
The reason for the refusal was that the topic of assembly had not previously been verified or confirmed by any authority.
“I am worried that the police will use the same reason to ban future demonstrations,” said Sou. “For example, if there is a protest against corruption in the government, which has yet been proved by a court, the police can easily turn down the announcement.”
Later he was asked about the de facto survey his association had conducted in August. The event prompted harassment of New Macau members both in person and via the internet.
“We are humans,” the lawmaker said when he was asked if he and his team are afraid for their own safety. “But we will remain rational in expressing our views.”
As for the new Chief Executive, Sou thinks he has the background to implement better governance.
“He has been working in the legislature and is familiarized with social issues,” said Sou, adding that the former Legislative Assembly president had overseen the supervision of the executive and “now it is his turn to be supervised.”
His report card in the second year shows that Sou attended 51 plenary meetings (98.1% attendance rate), 63 meetings of the 3rd Standing Committee (96.9%) and seven meetings of the Monitoring Committee on Public Administration Affairs (100%). Sou presented three motions for debate, 52 written questions, three oral questions, 14 speeches before the agenda and three motions of vote declarations.
The lawmaker has also “opened the door” of the legislature’s closed-door committee meetings by publishing 16 “No Secret in the AL” blog articles.
The lawmaker pledges in the next year, he will continue to effectively use the legislative and monitoring power given by the citizens to monitor the new administration and the legislature. He will also encourage the public to monitor the work of their government and legislature.
Sou also pledged to continue advocating for the opening of the legislature’s closed-door committee meetings, adding that it would be an irrefutable improvement to the work of the legislature.
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