Sonia Chan appointed Identification Services Bureau director

The Secretary for Administration and Justice, Wong Sio Chak, has appointed Sonia Chan as the new director of the Identification Services Bureau (DSI) at the Multi-function Hall of the Government Headquarters, in a fixed-term appointment effective yesterday for a period of one year.

In her address, she expressed “deep honor and a strong sense of responsibility” upon her appointment as director of the DSI.

She entered public service in 1993 and previously served in roles including director of the Office for Personal Data Protection, Secretary for Administration and Justice, and advisor to the Office of the Chief Executive.

Since February 1 last year, she has been serving as the director of the Public Assets Supervision and Management Office.

Despite a two-year investigation that concluded in 2019 by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) involving the former Secretary for Administration and Justice, she was found not to have violated the law by recommending relatives for positions in the Office of the Prosecutor General under former Prosecutor General Ho Chio Meng and when Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai previously served as president of the Court of Final Appeal.

The investigation was prompted by Ho’s 2016 trial allegations involving Sonia and her predecessor, Florinda Chan.

While evidence suggested Florinda’s brother may not have been the strongest candidate based on his qualifications, and despite “reasonable doubts,” the CCAC found no legal breach because the recommendations occurred before modern anti-conflict-of-interest laws were enacted.

Notes released by the CCAC stated that “Roque Silva Chan had only completed 9th grade at that time, and the CV he sent had fewer than 100 words – one could hardly tell he excelled others in terms of academic knowledge or work experience.” “Nevertheless, the then Prosecutor General designate, who did not know him personally, allegedly interviewed and hired him immediately.”

The CCAC noted such practices, though now considered inappropriate, were not illegal at the time.

Meanwhile, as published in the Official Gazette yesterday, Ho Silvestre In Mui has been appointed director of the Financial Services Bureau for a one-year term starting January 1, 2026. She previously served as acting director since July 2025 and as deputy director of the bureau from 2015. Kuok Iat Hoi has also been appointed deputy director for the same period, effective January 1.

Lo Pin Heng has been appointed director of Macau’s Legal and Judicial Training Centre for a one-year term, effective yesterday. She previously served as acting director of the Identification Services Bureau and as deputy director of the bureau since 2015. Lo holds a law degree from the University of Macau and a Portuguese-Chinese translation diploma from the former Macau Polytechnic Institute. She was sworn in today before Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak. Ricaela Diputado