Macau democrats blame voters for losing one seat
Candidates say would-be backers were swayed by sweeteners and casino economic boom
Macau's democrats suffered a setback in the legislature election, losing one of their three seats.
The disappointed candidates blamed voters for their "pragmatic and lukewarm" attitudes towards democracy because of government cash handouts and the casino-led economic boom, but said they would reflect on which areas they could improve to win back voters.
On Sunday, 55 per cent of registered voters - 151,881 people - cast their vote for the city's fifth Legislative Assembly. This was 5 per cent less than the last poll four years ago.
The pro-democracy New Macau Association received 23,039 votes - enough to secure only two seats in the legislature. In the 2009 election it received 4,400 more votes, which won the party three seats.
Veteran lawmakers Au Kam-san and António Ng Kuok-cheong have been re-elected, but incumbent lawmaker Paul Chan Wai-chi, who ran with Ng, failed to get back in.
The party ran three lists - instead of two - this year, with radical young candidate Jason Chao Teng-hei hoping to win over young voters. But he received only 3,227 votes.
"It is too early to conclude the failure was caused by our election tactics. We respect the voters' choice," said Chan, who cited the cash handouts and other relief measures put in place by Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai-on's administration as some reasons for their poor showing.