Macau residents unimpressed as chief wins unopposed, small-circle vote

The unopposed election of Fernando Chui Sai-on as Macau's chief executive left most residents cold. There was little excitement in the city to mark his selection by just 300 people.

The Macau Daily News, the biggest local newspaper, had declared Dr Chui's victory on its front page before the vote began yesterday morning, with the headline: 'Breaking News: Chui Sai-on is New Chief Executive' - raising only a few eyebrows.

Some residents who bothered to watch the vote counting live on television looked bored as the ballot reader talked about the sole candidate. Only the occasional mention of an unmarked ballot paper stirred a small ripple of excitement.

Jino Lee, a 17-year-old Macau student, expressed frustration with an election he said lacked fairness and transparency. 'Why should a person to lead 500,000 residents be elected by just 300 people?' he asked. He said the 300 Election Committee members could not be seen to be representing him as they were not directly elected by Macau people.

'Hopefully, Macau can elect its chief by 'one person, one vote' in future,' he said.

Jino joined a rally at the St Paul's ruins in the afternoon to protest against what he saw as the fake democracy of the small-circle election.

Shortly after the vote, about 20 people led by democratic legislators Antonio Ng Kuok-cheong and Au Kam-san rallied at the landmark cathedral facade, calling for universal suffrage for Macau in 2019 - two years after Hong Kong is expected to introduce full democracy.