Macao's chief executive candidate Edmund Ho Hau Wah went through
a question and answer session on Saturday on his re-election
policy.??
Ho took questions picked up through "luck-draws" by Jose Chu,
chairman of the Macao Electoral Affairs Committee to select a total
of 18 questions brought forward by members with the 300-strong
Election Committee during the three-hour question session.
In an introduction speech, Ho said that since the Macao Special
Administrative Region (MSAR) government was founded in 1999, it has
achieved a primary success in the practices of "one country, two
systems," and this result proves the principle correct, scientific
and bearing a thriving vitality.
Concerning questions on the legislative reform, Ho said that
Macao has sustained the Portuguese law system after its return to
China. It has become a common concern to update the legal system
based on the current situation in Macao.
He believed that the next administration should push forward a
series of legalization including the National Security (Legislative
Provisions) Bill, known as the Article 23 of the Basic Law.
Answering questions on human resources, Ho said with the
development of the regional cooperation in Macao's surrounding
regions, there follow more frequent personnel exchanges and a
smoother flow of labor force.
Under the pre-condition of protecting local employment, the MSAR
government would help businesses solve the shortage of
professionals and workers by adjusting related regulations on
importing human resources.
Ho is in his two-week election campaign running for the second
term, after winning 297 Election Committee members' endorsement
forms, or 99 percent for the chief executive candidature nomination
to become the sole candidate in the upcoming election on Aug.
29.
At the question session, Ho answered questions covering from
education reform, social morale, the administrative and judiciary
reform, training of professionals to social welfare for senior
people raised by the Election Committee members.
He said that his wisdom came from consultations with government
officials, scholars, experts and common folks. If he could be
trusted and supported by Macao people to run for the second term,
he would lead the second MSAR government to turn concepts in his
re-election policy into practices.
He added that due to the time limit in the question session, he
could not take all the questions, but he would be willing to
continue dialogs with the committee members in the ensuing campaign
activities.
Ho Hau Wah published his re-election policy with the theme of
"Building a high-quality society and creating a beautiful future"
on Friday, which set forth governing policies and principles
concerning politics, economy, society and education.
(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2004)