Macau clears former top judge Sam Hou-fai to stand for election next month

Election commission says committee for safeguarding national security cleared Sam for legal abilities and allegiance to city and country

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Macau’s former top judge Sam Hou-fai held a press conference on August 28 to announce his bid in the city’s chief executive election. Photo: Elson Li

Published: 12:42pm, 18 Sep 2024Updated: 4:16pm, 18 Sep 2024

Former top Macau judge Sam Hou-fai has received clearance from local authorities to run for office in next month’s chief executive election.

The gaming hub’s Electoral Affairs Commission said on Wednesday the bid of the former head of the Court of Final Appeal to run for the top job – with his 386 nominations – had cleared an admissibility review.

The commission said Macau’s committee for safeguarding national security had also cleared Sam for his abilities to uphold the Basic Law, Macau’s mini-constitution, and his allegiance to the country and the city. His candidacy will be officially finalised on Friday if no objections are raised.

Sam secured three more backers from the 400-strong Chief Executive Election Committee after submitting official documents last Tuesday, and his tally of 386 nominations exceeded that of current city chief Ho Iat-seng.

The sole candidate is expected to reveal his full election platform when the campaign period starts on September 28. The election will take place on October 13.

He pledged to further diversify the casino-dependent economy when he formally announced his bid for Macau’s top job last month, saying that the gaming industry had “developed in a disorderly way and expanded wildly”, squeezing resources and manpower of the city.