New Macau leader Ho Iat-seng completes transition from ‘incapable’ candidate to chief executive of casino hub
- In 2014 interview chief executive said there were ‘too many tough tasks to handle’ in running city
- Ho is no stranger to politics, having served as president of Macau legislature and on Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress
Five years ago, the then president of the Macau legislature Ho Iat-seng joked he did not have what it took to be the casino hub’s new leader.
“To be Macau’s chief executive, there are just too many tough tasks to handle. My capability is too low to handle [this job],” he told All About Macau Media in a 2014 interview.
But on Friday, a smiling Ho was sworn in as the city’s new leader by China’s President Xi Jinping, who has wrapped up his three-day trip in the casino hub. It remained unclear why Ho changed his mind.
The 62-year-old said in his Friday inauguration speech he was honoured to take on the top job, promising the citizens of Macau a brighter future with the support of the motherland.
“I understand that this honour also comes with challenging responsibilities,” he said in fluent Mandarin, unlike his predecessor Fernando Chui Sai-on who was always mocked for struggling with the language.
