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Macau to require gaming concessionaire neutrality in Chief Executive election

The Macau government published a draft Law on the Election of the Chief Executive on Wednesday, which includes a rule requiring gaming concessionaires to maintain neutrality during the election.

Viviana Chan Viviana ChanAugust 16, 2023 · 1 min read
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Macau, Election Chief Executive

The Macau government published a draft Law on the Election of the Chief Executive on Wednesday, which includes a rule requiring gaming concessionaires to maintain neutrality during the election.

Macau authorities announced a revision of the Law on the Election of the Chief Executive in June, and the draft bill was only made public this week.

A government representative pointed out that the Law on the Election of the Legislative Assembly already provides for the neutrality of concessionaires, so the authorities should do the same for the Chief Executive Election.

Macau’s Chief Executive is elected by a 400-member election committee. According to AGB checks, several members of the election committee are deeply related to the gaming industry.

Pansy Ho, Lawrence Ho, Angela Leong, and Ambrose So are all on the committee.

Former casino owner Chan Meng Kan and junket businessman Frederick Yip Wing Fat are also included.

Pansy Ho is the Co-Chairperson and Managing Director of MGM China. Her brother, Lawrence Ho, is the Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited and Melco International Development Limited.

Angela Leong is the fourth wife of the late gaming mogul Stanley Ho. She is also a member of the Election Committee, chosen automatically due to her role as a lawmaker in Macau.

Ambrose So was SJM‘s Vice-Chairman, CEO, and Executive Director and retired in June.

Chan Meng Kam was the owner of several satellite casinos in Macau, and he decided to shut down all the casinos during the industry crackdown.

Viviana Chan
Written by Viviana Chan Viviana Chan is an editor, interpreter, and journalist. With over a decade of experience, she writes in English, Chinese, and Portuguese. Viviana started her career in Macau-based newspapers, where she became passionate about the region's social, financial, and cultural development. Her writing focuses on the economy, emerging industries, gaming development, political affairs, and cross cultural-exchange in the business and cultural domains. She is avid for news and eager to discover and cover stories that generate public relevance. More from Viviana Chan →