Macau’s Legislature Approves Amendments to Police Law, Allowing Non-locals to Join Secret Police
Macau’s Legislative Assembly passed in detail a bill to amend the city’s police law on August 20. Effective from October 12, 2020, the bill contains a clause on the formation of secret police, which has sparked controversy for granting Macau's Chief Executive the right to exempt the disclosure of the names of secret police officers performing secret duties as security authorities see fit.
Macau's Chief Executive can keep certain police officers anonymous
The bill provides that the Chief Executive may conceal the identity of a specific police officer “for appropriately stated reasons pertaining to the officer’s safety or the need to perform special duties”.
José Maria Pereira Coutinho, a directly elected member of the Legislative Assembly, questioned how the public could report violations or abuse of power by the secret police, and what measures the authorities would taken to conceal the identity of the officers concerned, given that Macau is such a small city.
Secretary for Security Wong Sio-chak said in response that law enforcers must identify themselves before carrying out their duty. Citizens may resist should the officers fail to do so. As to how the authorities would conceal the identities of the officers, Wong gave no response, saying that it was inappropriate to discuss this somewhat technical issue. He claimed, however, that the authorities have considered approaches taken by other regions and have access to the technology needed.
Non-locals may join the secret police
Sulu Sou, another directly elected councillor, stressed that the public was concerned about possible abuse of the secret police law and said that the term “performing special duties” was vague. Wong simply repeated his comment on the procedure of the exemption, without explaining how abuse could be avoided. The judiciary and the public, he said, could keep things in check.
Sou asked further if any non-locals would join the secret police under the government’s Individual Employment Contract Law. Wong said non-locals would not work as investigators, without elaborating further.
It is worth noting that while directly elected members António Ng, Au Kam-sun and Sou voted against the bill in principle, only Sou and Coutinho voted against the clause on secret police with Ng and Au voting in favour this time.
#Macau #SecretPolice #MacauLegCo #NationalSecurity
Source: Stand News #Aug21
https://bit.ly/32NlCpM
Macau’s Legislative Assembly passed in detail a bill to amend the city’s police law on August 20. Effective from October 12, 2020, the bill contains a clause on the formation of secret police, which has sparked controversy for granting Macau's Chief Executive the right to exempt the disclosure of the names of secret police officers performing secret duties as security authorities see fit.
Macau's Chief Executive can keep certain police officers anonymous
The bill provides that the Chief Executive may conceal the identity of a specific police officer “for appropriately stated reasons pertaining to the officer’s safety or the need to perform special duties”.
José Maria Pereira Coutinho, a directly elected member of the Legislative Assembly, questioned how the public could report violations or abuse of power by the secret police, and what measures the authorities would taken to conceal the identity of the officers concerned, given that Macau is such a small city.
Secretary for Security Wong Sio-chak said in response that law enforcers must identify themselves before carrying out their duty. Citizens may resist should the officers fail to do so. As to how the authorities would conceal the identities of the officers, Wong gave no response, saying that it was inappropriate to discuss this somewhat technical issue. He claimed, however, that the authorities have considered approaches taken by other regions and have access to the technology needed.
Non-locals may join the secret police
Sulu Sou, another directly elected councillor, stressed that the public was concerned about possible abuse of the secret police law and said that the term “performing special duties” was vague. Wong simply repeated his comment on the procedure of the exemption, without explaining how abuse could be avoided. The judiciary and the public, he said, could keep things in check.
Sou asked further if any non-locals would join the secret police under the government’s Individual Employment Contract Law. Wong said non-locals would not work as investigators, without elaborating further.
It is worth noting that while directly elected members António Ng, Au Kam-sun and Sou voted against the bill in principle, only Sou and Coutinho voted against the clause on secret police with Ng and Au voting in favour this time.
#Macau #SecretPolice #MacauLegCo #NationalSecurity
Source: Stand News #Aug21
https://bit.ly/32NlCpM
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