Youth affairs | Ho commends youngsters’ judgment, independent analysis

Chief Executive candidate Ho Iat Seng believes that Macau’s youth are capable of resisting the influence of Hong Kong’s protesters.

Late last week, Ho attended a talk with local youth. During the talk, one representative of a local youth club asked Ho about his opinion on Hong Kong’s recent protests, which she described as “violent incidents.”

The representative said that Hong Kong’s “violent incidents” had been spread to Macau by “insidious” people. In her opinion, thanks to the internet and technology, the local youth can constantly receive information that positively reports Hong Kong’s “violence,” and negatively and wrongly about the Hong Kong police authority.

These situations pose a threat to Macau and to the country’s security. The questioner thought that the government should organize for the police department to carry out promotional campaigns in schools and to eliminate threats at their source.

“I want to ask how you are going to guide the youth towards establishing correct values and preventing the seduction of bad [influence],” the young woman asked.

In response, Ho said that he had already discussed the topic with the education sector, which had proposed that patriotic education be enhanced. The sector had also suggested guiding the youth to learn more about the experiences of modern China.

Ho said that the education sector’s proposal should not only be adopted to prevent Hong Kong’s situation from taking root in the Macau SAR, but should also serve as a long-term project for other reasons too.

Ho commended Macau’s local youth for their independent analysis of information.

“Not only are they able to see the information on the internet, but also, if you turn on the TV, this news is present every day. They [the youth] have the ability to analyze and they will analyze right and wrong,” said Ho.

In addition to the aforementioned topics, Ho was also questioned on Macau’s “ghost associations.”

Another representative from a local youth association said there was an association for every 70 residents in Macau, with many of these being “ghost associations,” where non-locals can participate. She further criticized the fact that one person can belong to multiple associations simultaneously.

The questioner said that the government cannot receive opinions from the majority of the Macau public nor can it pass governmental information to the public.

Ho said that it is difficult to determine Macau residents’ participation in associations. Moreover, because Macau is a society of associations. many people form organizations to stay in touch with each other. However, these associations do not have the right to vote and the government does not subsidize them.

“They are neither supervisory nor beneficiary. Music and opera associations are just about singing, the government does not subsidize them,” commented Ho. “I think that, putting aside these [kinds of] associations, what’s left are political associations and ‘Love the Country and Love Macau’ associations.”

Meanwhile, last Thursday, during his visit to a youth entrepreneurship center, Ho said that he hopes to introduce more angel funds in Macau to support youth entrepreneurship. The Chief Executive candidate also claimed he would clearly and transparently explain to the public youth entrepreneurship fund expenditure.