President of Macau legislature Ho Iat-seng announces plan to run in election for leader of city

If elected chief executive, Ho, 61, says his priority will be livelihood issues and the casino hub’s economy

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Ho Iat-seng has been president of the Legislative Assembly since 2013. Photo: Macau Daily

Published: 10:00am, 19 Apr 2019Updated: 10:00am, 19 Apr 2019

The president of Macau’s legislature has announced his intention to run for election as the city’s leader in August.

Ho Iat-seng, 61, also said he had submitted his application to resign from the country’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, of which he has been a member since 2001.

Macau’s electoral law does not permit committee members to run for chief executive since they participate in the electoral college that chooses the city’s leader.

Ho said on Thursday he would make a decision on his position as president of the Legislative Assembly once he got Beijing’s reply to his resignation application. The standing committee’s decision is expected to be announced on Tuesday after its bimonthly session.

Livelihood issues and Macau’s economy would be a priority for Ho. Photo: Handout

Ho is the first person to announce their candidacy. In the previous three elections there was just one candidate.

If elected, Ho said his priority would be livelihood issues and the casino hub’s moderately diversified economy. He had hinted in February that he was considering running for the top post.