Macau CE elections: Sam Hou Fai confirmed as sole candidate
Macau’s Electoral Affairs Commission has announced Sam Hou Fai as the only accepted candidate.
Macau.- The Macau’s Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) has confirmed today (September 18) that Sam Hou Fai will be the only candidate for the position of chief executive (CE) at the election on October 13. After checks on his application, there were no objections to Hou Fai’s candidacy.
The former judge, who has stepped down as president of Macau’s Court of Final Appeal, received 386 nominations from members of the Chief Executive Election Committee. The next CE will take office on December 19. In August, Ho Iat Seng, Macau’s current CE, announced that he was not going to seek re-election due to health reasons. He became the first chief executive not to do so since elections were first held in 1999.
See also: Macau leadership change won’t affect gaming industry, analyst says
Sam Hou Fai meets with Macau casinos bosses
Sam Hou Fai met on Thursday (September 12) with leaders of the city’s six casino concessionaires. Discussions revolved around the status of the industry and strategies to transform Macau into a global tourism and leisure hub.
During the meeting, Hou Fai praised the contributions made to Macau’s socio-economic development and encouraged operators to ensure the industry continues to develop in “a healthy, orderly and sustainable development in accordance with the law.”
Hou Fai also urged casino operators to continue promoting an “adequate diversification” of the city’s economy. The former judge has previously said diversification was essential for the city’s development and that despite driving rapid development since 1999, gaming has led to imbalances in the economy and workforce.
The meeting was attended by 12 representatives from the casino concessionaires, including Pansy Ho, chairperson of MGM China; Kenneth Feng, president of MGM Grand Paradise; and Lawrence Ho of Melco Resorts. Also in attendance were Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, vice chairman of Sands China; Grant Chum Kwan Lock, CEO of Sands China; Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment; Francis Lui Yiu Tung, vice president of Galaxy Entertainment Group; Linda Chen Chih Ling, president of Wynn Macau; and Daisy Ho Chiu Fung, chairperson and executive director of SJM Holdings.
