Sam Hou Fai set to become Macau’s next boss

Sam Hou Fai, a 62-year-old former judge, is poised to become Macau’s next Chief Executive after securing an unprecedented 96% of nominations from the 400-member Chief Executive Election Committee.

With 383 endorsements, Sam will run unopposed in the Oct. 13 election, as no other potential candidates will be able to get the minimum 66 votes required to stand.

Sam, who resigned from his position as President of Macau’s Court of Final Appeal last month to run for the top job, submitted his nomination form to the Electoral Affairs Commission yesterday morning.

In a statement, he expressed his intention to continue gathering support from the remaining committee members and soliciting opinions from the local community.

The lack of competition in Macau’s CE elections is not uncommon, as all but the inaugural election in 1999 have featured a single candidate.

Edmund Ho emerged victorious in the 1999 election, capturing nearly 82% of the votes.

He subsequently became Macau’s first Chief Executive after the territory’s handover from Portugal to China. Stanley Au was the other candidate in that election.

Sam has received overwhelming support from the committee, which highlights strong backing from the pro-establishment figures who make up the electorate.

In recent days, Sam has met with representatives from various business associations to discuss the current state and future development of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The associations suggested the need for more measures to boost the economy in neighborhood areas and support struggling SMEs, as well as establishing a dedicated body for grassroots economic development.

If elected, Sam would become Macau’s first Chief Executive with a legal background, in contrast to his predecessors who all hailed from the business sector.

As the city looks to diversify its casino-dependent economy and address the challenges posed by the pandemic, Sam’s leadership will be crucial in shaping Macau’s future. Nadia Shaw