Clean poll helped us: democrats
The head of a pro-democracy group that had the strongest showing in Macau's first post-handover legislative election attributed the surprise result to a fall in vote fraud.
Ng Kuok-cheong's New Democratic Macau Association won two out of the 10 directly elected seats in the 27-member legislature. It took 16,960 votes or 20.95 per cent of the total ballot, the highest for a single group.
'We won because there was no vote-buying,' Mr Ng said yesterday, adding the results of Sunday's poll were proof 'the elections took place in a sound environment'.
Macau's last direct legislative election, in 1996, was overshadowed by allegations of massive vote-buying and other irregularities.
The post-handover Government this year set up a taskforce to fight bribes and vote-rigging.
About 70 people are under investigation for election-related irregularities in the run up to the polls. About 40 complaints were received on Sunday.
Mr Ng, a 43-year-old accountant with the Catholic Caritas welfare organisation, is joined in the 27-strong legislative assembly by 44-year old former teacher Au Kam-san.
Political commentator Carlos Morais Jose said yesterday that one of the reasons for Mr Ng's victory was the fact he 'must be one of the few candidates who does not drive around in a Mercedes', adding Mr Ng's
