bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Macau to launch consultation on Article 23 legislation
Macau is gearing up to enact a national security law based on Article 23 of its Basic Law, with a consultation set to begin as early as tomorrow.
Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau-wah  will meet  community leaders and senior politicians this week to discuss a plan to enact the law, according to Macau newspapers.
The government will release a detailed consultation paper tomorrow and begin  a consultation period of four to six weeks, the newspapers reported yesterday. Journal Va Kio quoted an unnamed official as saying violations of the planned national security law could carry a maximum penalty of 25 to 30 years in jail.
The official said such violations  would be treated as 'severe crimes' under the planned legislation.
The government is expected to send a bill to the Legislative Assembly by the end of the year, according to the newspapers.
Hong Kong and Macau have the same Article 23 in their Basic Laws. Under their mini-constitutions, both cities must legislate against treason and subversion, based on the article, though no specific timetable has been given.
An Article 23 bill was introduced in Hong Kong in 2002, triggering a protest by half a million people in July 2003. The legislation was shelved indefinitely. It is believed Macau's successful enactment of such a law would put pressure on Hong Kong to revive its security legislation.
Political commentator Larry So Man-yum  said the legislation would do well in Macau given residents' patriotism and  their lack of awareness about civil rights. 'There will be absolutely no problem.   Compared to Hongkongers, Macau people have high levels of acceptance for the central government.'
He added that no 'broomhead' would emerge in Macau as the security law needed no hard selling by tough officials.
Former Hong Kong official Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, nicknamed broomhead for her hairstyle, attempted to sell Article 23  in 2003.
Legislators Au Kam-san  and Ng Kuok-cheong,  who lead Macau's pro-democracy camp, said they would not oppose the legislation provided that it was based on internationally accepted principles.
'We don't want to see any mainland-style national security law,' Mr Au said. 'It would be acceptable to enact a law based on the Johannesburg Principles.'
The Johannesburg Principles  are a collection of human rights standards adopted by experts in international jurisprudence, security and human rights  in 1995.
Macau lawyer Miguel de Senna Fernandes  said the use of the national security law should be limited to 'exceptional' cases, and added that  a maximum penalty of  30 years in jail for violations was excessive.
Macau's chief executive  said last November that the government planned to complete the legislation by next year.



Edmund Ho to head talks on enacting security law