Macau’s top judge Sam Hou Fai has said he is exploring the possibility of running for the city’s top job, adding a new sense of uncertainty to the ongoing speculation following incumbent Ho Iat Seng’s announced retirement on Wednesday.
Speaking to the media on Thursday (22 August), Sam insisted that he had always had the “desire” to serve Macau and that “some friends of his had encouraged him to continue making contributions” to the city.
I would let everyone know as soon as there was any further news, he said.
Sam, the president the Court of Final Appeal, has between 29 August and 12 September to submit his bid. All candidates will need to secure a minimum of 66 endorsements from 400 electors.
If confirmed, he will be competing with Jorge Chiang, a businessperson unlikely to be a force to be reckoned with in the leadership race that was seldom competitive.
The outgoing chief executive, Ho Iat Seng, will be the first not to extend his tenure for another five years.
His two predecessors, Edmund Ho and Chui Sai On, completed two full terms of office.
Sam, aged 62, has served on with the city’s top court since Macau’s return to Chinese rule in the 1999 handover.
Before stepping into the public service, he studied at Peking University and studied the Portuguese language at University of Coimbra in Portugal.
Sam, who also worked as a legal practitioner on the Chinese mainland, was dedicated to justice his whole life.
He also held roles in public prosecution, judicial audit, and the promotion of the Basic Law.
