Leonel Alves: ‘Legislative Assembly should be more active in lawmaking’

Even though the Macau political system is “led by the executive power,” the Legislative Assembly “should be more active in lawmaking,” Leonel Alves says. For the lawyer and member of the Executive Council, the problem is a lack of “any kind of juridical training.” Furthermore, he says, the parliament should have more dialogue, with Government members coming “more often to answer questions in person.”
In an exclusive interview with Macau Daily Times, Alves bemoaned “internal contradictions” among the younger Macanese generations, which “should have a relevant part in society.” The Macau pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo was a missed opportunity for the community to present itself to China, he says. In fact, the lawmaker adds, “few people had the opportunity” to see the contents that were sharply criticized by local media.

Macau Daily Times (MDT) – How do you see the current political situation in Macau?
Leonel Alves – We are now entering a second phase of enhancement of the new regime and the balance is extremely positive. Of course we had our sins, if we can call them that – less work was done in the social side. The Government has already turned to a more active policy, solving the social issues that affect people the most.
MDT – What’s your evaluation of Chief Executive Chui Sai On’s first six months?
L.A. – The Chief Executive has his own work method. He has a profound knowledge of all the social, education, culture and economy details. Because he was a Secretary before, his Executive vision is very disciplined. And the truth is that the administrative machine has 10 years of experience, so the feedback to the Executive policies could be faster and more insightful.

‘The Chief Executive is best positioned to know how many Secretaries he needs. Let’s wait and see’

MDT – So you feel he has paid more attention to social issues?
L.A. – The circumstances make it inevitable. With the former Executive many policies were being elaborated and this is an implementation phase, especially public housing and social security.
MDT – Before the elections a lot was said about increasing the number of Secretaries. Do you find that necessary?
L.A. – What matters is the future. Right now things are working. The Chief Executive is best positioned to know how many Secretaries he needs. Let’s wait and see. Six months is too soon for any structural change.
MDT – But this change has been discussed for several years now...
L.A. – Well, it all depends on the people doing the job and Macau has a human resource problem. It took months to replace the Secretary for Public Work and Transportation [Ao Man Long, arrested for corruption in 2006]. Even if there are qualified people, it doesn’t mean they are available.
MDT – Aside from being a lawmaker you are also a member of the Executive Council. From a Western perspective, it would be odd to see someone both in the legislative and the executive side…
L.A. – You’re right about the Western perspective. But the possibility of lawmakers being members of the Executive Council is mentioned at the Basic Law. It’s a positive solution. The Executive Council is not the Government, it’s an independent advisory institution. In practice, many times the legislation is greatly changed at the Legislative Assembly, after being approved in principle. Besides I have always been independent and it doesn’t stop me from voicing my opinion. I’m not bound to any positions expressed by other Executive Council members.
MDT – What’s the balance between the legislative and the executive powers in Macau?
L.A. – The Basic Law says the main political leader of MSAR is the Chief Executive. He is the one that answers before the people and the Central Government for the accomplishments and letdowns of MSAR. So I think it’s perfectly adequate for the political system to be led by the executive power. The Legislative Assembly has been learning and today the supervision – through enquiries and interpellations – has been working very well, especially during the last five years.
However, I do feel the Legislative Assembly should be more active in lawmaking. More than 90 percent of the legislation come from Government law proposals. That also has to do with the composition of the parliament. The majority of lawmakers should know about Law but many of the most active politicians have no kind of juridical training. Often you spend a lot of time in commissions explaining juridical concepts.
MDT – But the lawmakers often complain about the time the Government takes to reply to interpellations…
L.A. – It would be better if the Assembly were more Western, with more dialogue and less writing. A parliament that becomes bureaucratic – that’s not normal. But it’s the system we have for now. The written interpellations have been on an upward trend. They’re so many that one of these days the Government will have to create a public service just to reply (laughs). The Government members should go to the Legislative Assembly more often to answer the questions in person. Right now only the Chief Executive goes, by his own initiative. Maybe the next step is for the Secretaries to also go regularly. Or maybe they could limit the debate to specific issues.
MDT – You are also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In your first intervention you said: “My name is Leonel Alves, born in Macau, I’m from Portuguese and Chinese descent.” Do you feel you were chosen as a symbol of Macau and the Macanese community?
L.A. – (laughs) I don’t have such a high profile. I think I was chosen also because I’m Macanese but mainly because I’m a lawmaker for many years now and I took part in the creation of the Basic Law from the start. With all modesty, I think I can be a useful element to convey to our Mainland colleagues the Macanese and the Portuguese community’s role here in Macau and in China, stressing the characteristics of the Portuguese language and the Portuguese-based law.
MDT – What’s the importance of the Macanese community for Macau politics?
L.A. – Its political relevance is written down in the Basic Law and it’s being respected in practice, which also means China doesn’t forget the 400 years of Macau history and wants this community to develop. It would be good if more Macanese returned and the community would grow.
MDT – You have always stressed the importance of having a Macanese bid for the legislative elections. However, it always seems like the movement ends as soon as the voting is over…
L.A. – The community cannot ignore its own political relevance. But the most important is for the younger generations to become aware of this. If we don’t take advantage of the most significant political moments, which are undoubtedly the elections, then in five or 10 years the younger generations will have forgotten what we’ve been through. No matter what, even if we only get 100 or 200 votes, the community has to be present.
MDT – It was difficult to find younger Macanese to join the bid…
L.A. – The elders’ work was not the most adequate and the youth’s work among themselves was not very good as well. They have to overcome their internal contradictions. There is a problem in the Macanese youth. In my days, people identified each other very easily. Nowadays people don’t know each other. The steps to show that the Macanese are a community with its own characteristics and its importance have to be well thought of. Everyone tried to play their role, which wasn’t enough, for sure. People need more motivation for these issues and to become organized. An organization starting up to down doesn’t work.

‘It would be good if more Macanese returned and the community would grow’

MDT – Do you feel that young Macanese still see themselves as part of a community?
L.A. – We are still in the beginning. Since 1999 we have seen the creation of several associations. It would be good if among the young people there were also initiatives, interacting with the rest of the population. We need an increased integration of the Macanese into MSAR. The purpose of this small community should be nobler than just thinking about a job in the public service. The new generations should have a relevant part in society at a professional level – businessmen, technical experts, scholars.
MDT – The Macanese community, “patuá” dialect and cuisine are not mentioned at all on the Macau pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo…
L.A. – It could be an oversight from the organizing committee…
MDT – Isn’t it a big oversight?
L.A. – I think so. I had no opportunity to give my opinion about the contents displayed at the Macau pavilion and I believe few people had that opportunity. If they had taken that step, I’m sure these lapses would have been prevented. We’re so small; a few phone calls would have been enough.
MDT – Do you see it as a missed opportunity for the Macanese, considering the millions of people expected at the World Expo?
L.A. – It’s a pity, not only for the Macanese community but also for the Portuguese.