Thousands took to the streets of Macau in a peaceful but politically charged National Day protest against government corruption, illegal labour and enactment of a deeply unpopular traffic law. Organisers estimated 4,000 pedestrians and motorcyclists joined the two-hour march, which set off from Macau's poorer northern district and finished in front of the government headquarters - a complex of pink colonial buildings along the waterfront at Stanley Ho Avenue. Police put the number at 2,000 pedestrians and 1,300 motorcyclists. 'For Chinese people to sacrifice their National Day holiday to come out and protest shows how fed up they are with the situation in Macau,' legislator Jose Coutinho said. Despite the city's surging economy, the casino-driven boom has brought with it unwanted side effects, and a widening wealth gap has left many residents feeling embittered. At the same time, several recent scandals involving cheap land sales, corruption and conflict of interest have fuelled bitterness with the Macau government. Dozens of placards yesterday labelled Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah and members of his cabinet as 'corrupt officials' and called for their resignation. Mr Ho said the government respected and paid close attention to residents' opinions expressed through legitimate and rational means, while Secretary for Security Cheong Kuoc-va said residents had every right to express their views publicly, but they should act lawfully, obey police instructions and minimise inconvenience to others. The biggest blow to Mr Ho has been the case of former secretary for transport and public works Ao Man-long, who was detained in December and charged in August with 76 counts of bribe-taking, money laundering and abuse of power. In August, local media reported that another of Mr Ho's appointees, Labour Affairs Bureau chief Shuen Ka-hung, was the owner of a luxury residence on Taipa Island that was being renovated by six workers imported illegally from the mainland. Despite the workers' arrests, members of Mr Ho's cabinet, including Secretary for Economy and Finance Francis Tam Pak-yuen initially voiced support for Mr Shuen. But the resulting public backlash forced a hasty retreat, and on August 14, Mr Shuen's case was handed to the Public Prosecutions Office where it is being investigated. Demonstrators also took aim yesterday at a range of issues. More than 2,000 people from workers' unions and associations representing the gaming and construction industries protested against the import of illegal labour. For motorcyclists, it was a second day of protesting against a law that from yesterday increased fines for parking violations, while teachers rallied for improvements to the education system. Unlike the May 1 rally this year, yesterday's was peaceful, perhaps due to a heavy police presence. On May 1 an officer opened fire to disperse protesters. Boom time The amount by which Macau's economy grew in the second quarter: 31.9%
