Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng is planning to formally announce his candidacy for a second term as head of the SAR Government following the August 11 election of the Chief Executive (CE) Election Committee, Macau News Agency (MNA) has learned.
Ho is enjoying a long annual leave period which started on June 21 and has recently been extended to July 19. It is the first effective annual leave period he has taken since assuming office as Chief Executive on December 20, 2019, sources noted.
Following last week’s announcement of the annual leave’s extension, there has been speculation concerning Ho Iat Seng’s health and whether he would be standing in the upcoming CE election. However, sources assured MNA that his health condition is good and that Ho, who has been resting outside the SAR, will be seeking a second term as Chief Executive. He will be formally announcing his bid to join the CE election after the members of the CE Election Committee are selected on August 11, sources added.
Following the visit to Macau in May by Xia Baolong, Beijing’s top official in charge of Macau and Hong Kong affairs, Ho said the upcoming CE election had not been addressed in the meetings. He added that, at the time, May 19, he didn’t have anything to share with the public yet.
The August 11 election will select the 400 electors from different sectors of local society who will be choosing the CE. Existing electoral rules mandate that the two elections should be at least 60 days apart, indicating that the CE election could be held on October 13 at the earliest, as it is the first Sunday after the 60-day period. CE elections have consistently taken place on Sundays.
Ho Iat Seng’s predecessors, Edmund Ho and Chui Sai On, both served two five-year terms. With the exception of the first CE election, held in 1999, there has always been only one candidate on the ballot.
