Government and Policy

Macao young adults want more transparency in policy-making

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-04 14:39

MACAO: A recent survey shows that some 53.9 percent of Macao's young adults interviewed are calling for greater transparency in government policy-making.

The respondents have urged local government to take measures to combat corruption and improve its transparency in policy-making, the Macao Daily Post reported Thursday.

The survey was conducted by General Association of Chinese Students of Macao among 1,145 local people aged between 16 and 35 last November and December, focusing on young adults' attitude toward their personal and Macao's future.

Apart from government policy-making, the interviewees' biggest concern over the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) was the ethics of local government officials, as the survey showed that 55. 2 percent of the respondents said they were "not optimistic" about the matter, the daily said.

Meanwhile, the survey also found that 40.6 percent of the interviewees expected "no changes" for local political and judiciary system in the future while only 14.4 percent thought it will improve.

Chui Sai On, who was sworn in as the third term chief executive of the Macao SAR in December 2009, has promised to build a "sunshine" government.

The fact that some officials of the SAR government have created problems in the past, however, has a great impact on the local young people, the daily quoted Ng Pek San, general secretary of the association as saying.

Allegedly involving over 800 million patacas (US$100 million) in bribes and other ill-gotten gains, Ao Man Long, the SAR's former secretary for public works and transport, was sentenced to a record prison term of 28 and a half years for corruption, abuse of power and other crimes.