Macao’s former chief justice is elected as the first mainland-born head of China’s casino center

MACAO (AP) — Macao’s former chief justice Sam Hou Fai was chosen as the next head of China’s casino hub in a largely ceremonial election Sunday, making him the city’s first mainland Chinese-born chief executive.

Almost the entire election committee made up of Beijing loyalists – 394 of 398 – voted for Sam, the sole candidate, departing from the long-standing custom that chief executives were born in the former Portuguese colony and typically come from influential business families. The remaining four votes were blank votes.

The change in the city’s leadership to someone from the legal profession is likely to raise expectations that the influence of business circles, which critics have often accused of colluding with officials, will diminish, analysts say. They expect Beijing’s political agenda to be a priority for the city.

Sam, 62, is widely believed to enjoy Beijing’s blessings. During the nomination period, he had already secured the approval of 386 election committee members who voted in groups in a conference hall on Sunday.

Influential figures on the 400-member committee included Shun Tak Holdings group executive chairwoman Pansy Ho, the daughter of late casino tycoon Stanley Ho, MP Angela Leong, one of Ho’s widows, and former chief executives Edmund Ho and Fernando Chui.

After being announced as Chief Executive-elect, Sam took the stage and received applause from committee members.

“It’s the highest honor of my life,” Sam said.

He promised to preserve national sovereignty, accelerate the city’s economic diversification and better integrate it into national development plans.

Sam is expected to take office in December, when the city marks the 25th anniversary of its handover to China’s rule.

After the election, China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Macao’s incumbent leader Ho Iat Seng and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee congratulated Sam in separate statements.

Most of the territory’s 687,000 residents lack the right to vote, leading to mixed feelings about the election. Some hope Sam will heed public opinion and avoid prioritizing business interests, while others feel disconnected from an electoral process in which they cannot participate.

Still, political observers said many residents were comfortable with Sam’s non-local origins in a city that has been home to migrants for decades.

With Sam’s victory guaranteed, the real challenges await the governance hurdles ahead.

Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal. Beijing has urged the city to diversify its gambling-dependent economy.

Sam has promised to accelerate the current government’s plan to promote tourism and other sectors such as traditional Chinese medicine, finance, exhibitions and trade. However, the city will continue to rely on the gambling industry to generate government revenue to support the city’s well-being and achieve other goals set by Beijing, analysts say.

China wants Macau to develop into a world-class tourism and leisure center and play a greater role as a bridge for trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Small local businesses have been hurt by residents spending their money in the neighboring mainland city of Zhuhai, which offers a wider selection of good value items. Chinese tourists are also now spending less than before.

It remains to be seen whether Sam’s lack of leadership experience in government will enable him to form a capable cabinet to address these pressing issues.

Sam told reporters on Sunday that Macau’s development cannot be separated from support from China, saying the city must “actively participate” in the development of the Greater Bay Area – Beijing’s plan to link the casino hub and Hong Kong connecting mainland Chinese cities in neighboring Guangdong province.

Sam said just because the city has a capitalist economy doesn’t mean the government has to play a passive role.

“Going forward, we need to improve the government’s decision-making processes and capabilities,” he said.

Sam was born in 1962 in neighboring Guangdong Province. He graduated from the prestigious Peking University Law School in Beijing. He also studied Portuguese language, culture and law at the University of Coimbra in Portugal and once practiced law in mainland China.

When Macau returned to Chinese rule in 1999, Sam was appointed the city’s chief judge, a post he held for nearly 25 years before stepping down in August to run in elections.

He handled some politically sensitive cases, including rejecting an appeal against a police ban at a vigil commemorating China’s bloody military crackdown on Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in 1989. His court also upheld a decision barring pro-democracy figures from running to be excluded from the 2021 parliamentary elections.