The President of the Court of Final Appeal, Sam Hou Fai, said Thursday he is considering whether to run in the upcoming Macau Chief Executive election following the news that Ho Iat Seng will not seek a second term.
It has been widely rumored in recent days that Sam will run in the Chief Executive election – Macau’s sixth since liberalization – possibly as the only candidate. The election will be held on 13 October.
Responding to such suggestions while speaking with media after attending an event on Thursday afternoon, Sam said, “I am very grateful for everyone’s concern. We all know that the Chief Executive is a high position to serve the residents of Macau, and I have always had the desire to serve Macau.
“I am still considering (whether to run in the election) and I will let everyone know if I have any further news.”
Sam has served as President of Macau’s Court of Final Appeal since Macau was brought back under China’s rule in December 1999. He was born in Mainland China in 1962, graduated from the Law Faculty of Beijing University and worked as a practicing lawyer on the mainland.
He later attended the University of Coimbra, Portugal, to complete a course in Portuguese language, culture and law, as well as an introductory course in law at the University of Macau. He was also a participant of the first Core and Advanced Training Courses for Judges and Public Prosecutors at the Legal and Judicial Training Centre.
After returning to Macau in 1993, he became one of the first to join the judicial auditor in Macau in 1995, worked in the courts and Public Prosecutions Office, and was appointed President of the Court of Final Appeal on 20 December 1999.
Seaport Research Partners said in a note issued earlier this week that the election of a new Chief Executive should not materially impact the SAR’s gaming industry.
“The most likely individual to take the role will be fully vetted and approved by the Chinese government and most likely will come into office with strong Macau government experience and an understanding of the importance of the gaming and hospitality industry to the economic well-being and future development of Macau,” it said.
“We expect the eventual Chief Executive to come from inside the government administration. It is most certain that status quo will likely be the main driver of the new Chief Executive, with the primary policy goals being continued stability of the Macau SAR, further and deeper integration into the Greater Bay Area, a continued emphasis on economic diversification, and support for the gaming and hospitality industry (the largest component of Macau’s economy).”
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