Legislative head: Macao's legislature works well with gov't

Relations between the Legislative Assembly of Macao Special Administration Region and its government is "generally good", said the Assembly's President Susana Chou at a press conference held on Wednesday.

She pointed out that ever since the establishment of the SAR's Legislative Assembly nine years ago, it has been working well with the government, despite some minor clashes between the two sides on some issues.

The SAR's Basic Law clarifies the leading role of the executive side, which is a "fresh and ambiguous thing" for the Assembly at the beginning, but after nine years of practicing and exploring, " has found out a clearer direction."

The current term of the SAR's legislature will end next year, and elections for another four-year-term will be held by then. Some 12 lawmakers will be directly elected by universal suffrage and 10 will be indirectly elected by representatives of business, labor, charity, sports, professional, cultural and other associations. The SAR's Chief Executive will appoint another seven legislators after the elections.

However, Chou told the press conference that she will bow out of politics by withdrawing from any of the upcoming elections, including the election for the new Chief Executive, after her tenure as the legislative president comes to an end next year.

The 66-year-old legislative veteran has been working in Macao’s legislative system since 1976, and was elected as the president of the SAR's Legislative Assembly in 1999, when Macao returned to China.

Source: Xinhua