Mak Soi Kun topped the list in the sixth Legislative Assembly (AL) election, winning 17,207 votes, followed by unionist Ella Lei Cheng I, bringing in 16,694 votes.
The second candidates for both lists – Macau-Guangdong Union and Union for Development – Zheng Anting and Leong Sun Iok also saw their AL terms secured, the only lists to win multiple seats.
Meanwhile, Si Ka Lon and Song Pek Kei, from the Fujian community, secured only two seats, losing a seat when compared to the last election led by Chan Meng Kam.
The group once headed by Chan had decided to split into two, led by Si and Song, with Si telling the media that the less favourable outcome of this year’s election was due to a more fierce competition, and that Chan no longer running had an effect on the results as well.
Ho Iong Sang and former political organization partner Wong Kit Chen also succeeded in retaking their seats in the legislative body.
The first candidate of the group New Hope, José Pereira Coutinho, was successful in securing a seat in the assembly but the party was unable to secure a second.
With votes equally distributed among the three democratic groups, Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San confirmed their continuation of serving the AL, while new blood from pro-democracy group and the youngest elected legislator at 26 years old, Sulu Sou Ka Hou also successfully entered the AL.
The next AL also welcomed newly elected candidates Agnes Lam.
On the other hand, Angela Leong On Kei, SJM’s executive director, had her seat secured for for the next four-year term but was unable to obtain a seat for her partner – local businessman William Kuan Wai Lam.
Leong criticised the more stringent measures regarding the gaming industry implemented by the Electoral Affairs Commissioner (CAEL), leading to a reduced number of her supporters, TDM Chinese Radio reported.
Melinda Chan, wife of local businessman David Chow Kam Fai, the head of casino operator Macau Legend Development Ltd, failed to get enough votes to secure a seat in the assembly.
Speaking to the press after the vote count, Tong Hio Fong, the head of CAEL, reported that this year’s election had seen the participation of approximately 57.22 per cent of the 305,615 registered voters, up 2.2 percentage points, or 22,992 voters, when compared to last AL election in 2013.