Macau leader Ho Iat Seng announced Wednesday (Aug. 21) that he would not run for re-election for health reasons, less than two months before the casino city's top official election.
Ho said in a statement that he had deep feelings for Macau and had done his best for the development of the semi-autonomous Chinese city, which neighbors Hong Kong, since he began his five-year term in 2019.
“However, as my health has not fully recovered, and for the sake of Macau’s long-term development, I have decided not to participate in the election of the sixth Chief Executive,” he said.
He did not elaborate on the reasons for his decision, but thanked Beijing and the people of the former Portuguese colony for their trust.
Elections for Macau’s top job will be held in October, with a 400-member committee, largely dominated by established figures, choosing the leader. Interested candidates can apply between Aug. 29 and Sept. 12.
In July, the government's announcement of Ho's decision to extend his leave to a total of 39 days raised concerns about his health, local media reported. But his government insisted at the time that Ho was in good health and undergoing regular medical check-ups and receiving treatment, the report said.
It is unclear who will take over from Ho when his term ends in December. But one of Macau's main goals is to diversify the city's economy with retail, entertainment and other industries and reduce its reliance on mainland Chinese gamblers, its main source of revenue.
A businessman, Jorge Chiang, last month on Facebook, announced his intention to run for leader.
Macau, with a population of 687,000, returned to Chinese rule in 1999 and will mark the 25th anniversary of the handover in December. (ab/ns)
