Thousands rally in Macau over government retirement bill
Thousands protest against plan to keep paying retired officials most of their salary
Thousands of people took to the streets of Macau yesterday to protest against a bill that would give a generous retirement package to the city's outgoing chief executive and top officials.
"It's the biggest march since the handover, which shows that people have had enough," said Sulu Sou Ka-hou, a member of the group Macau Conscience, which organised the march.
"How can a government submit a bill to the legislature without consulting its people?"
The group said more than 20,000 people marched from Tap Seac Square to Nam Van Lake Recreation Centre via the government headquarters in the afternoon. Macau police put the number at 7,000.
Sou appealed to marchers to encircle the legislature tomorrow afternoon in a bid to pressure lawmakers not to approve the bill - assuming the government does not withdraw it today. Last night, three lawmakers filed an application to the legislature's secretariat to delay the vetting
Protester Wilson Ma, a 28-year-old engineer, said: "If Fernando Chui Sai-on wants to be the chief executive for another term, I think he has to listen to what Macau people say."