Macao News https://macaonews.org Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:20:29 +0000 Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:20:29 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68268 2023-12-12 08:20:29 2023-12-12 08:20:29 24374 A new bill clarifies rules around parallel betting, explicitly prohibits online bets, and significantly raises maximum prison sentences for offenders.]]>The government has finished drafting a bill that, if enacted, will explicitly prohibit online betting and parallel betting, as well as raise penalties for certain illicit gambling activities, the Macau Post Daily reports. The new law would replace one enacted in 1996, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong announced yesterday. He said that the government was committed to combating illegal gambling. Several now defunct junket operators reportedly ran so-called parallel (or, under the table) betting schemes that reduced the amount of tax paid to the government. The new bill clearly defines this practice as illegal, Cheong said. It also proposes to expressly bar the operation, promotion and organisation of online gambling activities – regardless of where their IT systems are based. [See more: Convicted Suncity boss purportedly pens an open letter to Xi Jinping] Given that illicit gambling activities often take place at night, Cheong said the bill would allow police to search private homes between 9 pm and 7 am in the course of investigating suspected gambling crimes. Under the current law, police need residents’ permission to search homes during these hours. While current laws punish illegal gambling activities with prison terms of up to three years, the new bill would raise this to eight years.  ]]> Tue, 12 Dec 2023 07:59:53 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68261 2023-12-12 08:08:16 2023-12-12 07:59:53 24374 As respiratory illness spreads in mainland China, officials are taking action. But Macao’s government says it’s already ahead of the game.]]>Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong has said there is currently no need for the SAR to change guidelines around mask-wearing – even though they’ve been ramped up in mainland China, the Macau Daily Times reports. On Saturday, mainland authorities mandated that people with respiratory symptoms and those in certain jobs wear medical grade masks. Affected workplaces include medical and care facilities, as well as so-called “key venues” where catering and cleaning staff must now don effective masks. According to Ieong, the mainland’s new guidelines align with Macao’s existing ones. The SAR recently reinstated a requirement that high-grade masks be worn by anyone in nursing homes, rehabilitation centres and drug rehab facilities, to minimise infection risks during the winter season. [See more: Taiwan extends voluntary health testing for cross-strait visitors] Ieong said that while some mainland cities were conducting rapid viral tests on travellers, this was not necessary for Macao. She said she was confident the city had robust measures against flu, mycoplasma pneumoniae (a bacterial disease currently spreading in the mainland) and Covid-19. Even if flu cases increased, the situation would remain manageable, Ieong noted. However, she urged anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms to avoid public places and to mask up. Ieong also reiterated that the Health Bureau constantly monitored disease data and that, if the number of patients or available beds exceed a critical threshold, more clinicians would be deployed.  ]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 15:36:18 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68236 2023-12-11 15:36:18 2023-12-11 15:36:18 24374 Lam Hin San has strongly denied the allegations of wrongdoing, following a complaint lodged by a legislator to the anti-graft commission.]]>Transport Bureau (DSAT) chief, Lam Hin San, has stressed that the recent public tender process for 500 taxi licences was undertaken transparently and in accordance with regulations.  His remarks follow a complaint that a legislator filed to the Macao Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) last week, questioning the integrity of the tender process.  In a statement to the media during yesterday’s Walk for a Million, Lam said that the bureau had performed “all the tendering and assessment works in accordance with the law, so that all the new taxis could be put into service as soon as possible.”  [See more: Cabbies want a fare hike, while bidders query the integrity of the latest licence tender] The complaints originated from a number of disgruntled bidders who complained to legislator Lam U Tou about what they said were irregularities, including the allegedly improper sealing of tender documents. They also protested the lack of independent oversight of the process, which was only monitored by DSAT officials. In response to the allegations, the DSAT chief said “If you have enough evidence, some leaked information to tell…please report it to the regulator.”  CCAC head Chan Tsz King stated yesterday that his department had received a complaint from a lawmaker but not from any bidders or related parties.  Chan mentioned that the CCAC would conduct an assessment of the complaint before it would consider launching a formal investigation.  In a bid to boost the number of taxis on Macao’s streets, DSAT recently launched a public tender for 10 taxi licences, with each one allowing the winning company to operate a maximum of 50 taxis.  40 bids were submitted, but only 21 applications were submitted, with the approved submissions ranging between 2.5 million to 3.8 million patacas.  —With reporting by Kenny Fong  ]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:02:02 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68230 2023-12-11 08:23:24 2023-12-11 08:02:02 24374 Alvin Chau is currently spending 18 years behind bars after being convicted on dozens of counts of racketeering.]]>Specialist publication Inside Asian Gaming has published what it says is an “open letter” from convicted fraudster Alvin Chau to President Xi Jinping, pleading for a reduction in the 18-year prison sentence imposed by the Court of First Instance in January. The publication did not disclose how it obtained the document. Chau founded Suncity Group, a junket organiser, in 2007. He and several of his employees were found guilty of more than 100 counts of illicit gambling activities, fraud and involvement in a criminal organisation. In the purported letter to President Xi, the former gaming bigwig – who was accused of defrauding the government of billions of patacas in tax revenues – depicts himself as a humble “silent and unknown person” who worked selflessly and hard to help transform a “small fishing port” into a “world centre of tourism and leisure.” [See more: A court has increased the compensation to be paid by Alvin Chau] The text continues: “It is because of the return of Macau to the motherland and thanks to the central government policy to promote Macau that I have achieved what I did.”  The author of the letter goes on to acknowledge that there “are many problems in our industry”, but denies many of the crimes he was convicted of. He insists that his company was barely associated with illegal activities. “In general casino crimes do not involve violence and are usually at most worth a few years of imprisonment, so why is the crime in this case so serious?” The letter concludes with an appeal to Xi, calling him “the greatest President in the history of our country” and China’s spiritual leader. “We just need a fair and normal verdict,” the letter says. “I am really overwhelmed by the situation, and I only hope to salvage the disaster that has happened to all of us, so I make this plea in an audacious manner.” Inside Asian Gaming has published the original, handwritten Chinese text and an English translation here.  ]]> Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:29:46 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68220 2023-12-11 15:47:55 2023-12-11 07:29:46 24374 The newest addition to Macao’s Light Rapid Transit system allows passengers to travel between the peninsula and Taipa by rail for the first time.]]>The Taipa-Barra extension became operational on Friday, extending the Taipa Line of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) network to Barra on the Macao peninsula. Hundreds of locals and visitors began queuing Thursday night outside of the station to take the first train, which departed Barra Station at 6:30 am, Macau Post Daily reported.  One transport enthusiast arrived at 9 pm on Thursday evening to be sure of getting a good place in the queue, the paper said. Others arrived in the early hours of Friday morning. The 3.4-kilometre extension features an enclosed track that runs beneath the San Van Bridge and takes about four minutes to transport passengers from Barra to Taipa’s Ocean Station. From there, they can continue on to the Taipa Ferry Terminal via the 11-station Taipa Line.   [See more: What’s next for Macao’s LRT?] The LRT’s chairman, Ho Cheong Kei, has said trains will arrive and depart Barra Station at 10 minute intervals between 6:30 am and 11:15 pm on weekdays, increasing to seven minute intervals during peak hours. On weekends and public holidays, trains will run until midnight. Work on the 1.18 billion pataca extension project commenced in August 2018. The line was supposed to be up and running by March 2023, but the pandemic and inclement weather lead to delays. Three more LRT lines are currently under construction: the Seac Pai Van Line, the Hengqin Line and the East Line. The first two are expected to open next year, while the entirely underground East Line is not scheduled for completion until 2028.  ]]> Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:43:39 +0800 Mariana César de Sá 68179 2023-12-07 15:01:37 2023-12-07 14:43:39 24374 Residents can expect a taxi price hike sometime next year if the taxi association’s new application is approved.]]>Macao’s taxi association is intending to apply for a taxi fare increase with the Transport Bureau (DSAT) before Chinese New Year, according to local media reports. The proposed fare rise will include a surcharge during statutory public holidays.  During yesterday’s edition of the TDM radio talkback program, Macao Forum, the chairman of the Macau Taxi Driver Mutual Association, Tony Kwok, noted that the organisation had attempted to apply for a fare rise in 2019, but the plans fell through due to the pandemic.  Referring to the demand for a public holiday levy, Kwok said “During the first, second and third day of the first month of the Lunar New Year, we will add a surcharge to supplement our drivers’ petrol costs,” adding that the price of petrol is currently “about fourteen patacas per litre” and that maintenance costs have gone up.  During the program, members of the taxi sector called to discuss the pressures that they were facing from soaring petrol prices in recent years.  “Why hasn’t the chief executive said a single word about the lack of a taxi fare increase in seven years?” a caller with the surname Wong said. “Are you telling me taxi drivers don’t need to provide for their families?”  [See more: Macao can forget about being an international destination until it fixes its taxi problem] The last taxi fare increase was in 2017 which saw the flagfall for the first 1.6 kilometres increased from 17 patacas to 19 patacas.    Meanwhile, Macao Daily reported that multiple bidders of the government’s recent public tender for 500 new taxi licences have questioned the integrity and fairness of the process.  According to the paper, legislator Lam U Tou was told by several bidders that bidding documents were not sealed up in accordance with procedure on the first day of bidding. There are also concerns that the process was only monitored by DSAT representatives.  The legislator intends to hand over the information that he has received to the Commission Against Corruption, Macao Daily said. —With reporting by Kenny Fong  ]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:27:18 +0800 Erico Dias 68154 2023-12-07 21:14:15 2023-12-06 15:27:18 24374 Scheduled to open this Friday, the Taipa-Barra extension line will allow residents to travel between Taipa and the Macao Peninsula by rail for the very first time. ]]>Light Rail Transit (LRT) users will be able to make the journey from the new Barra Station to the Taipa Line’s Ocean Station in approximately four minutes, according to multiple local reports.  The Taipa-Barra extension line, as well as its adjoining Barra Station, are scheduled to officially open this Friday, with the first LRT set to depart from the Macao Peninsula at 6:30 am.  At a media preview event held at the station yesterday, the chairman of the Macau Light Rail Company, Ho Cheong Kei said that trains will generally arrive at Barra Station every 10 minutes, although passengers can expect trains every 7 minutes during peak hours.  Ho also noted that the last train during weekdays is scheduled for 11:15 pm but that the time would be extended to 11:59 pm on the weekends and public holidays [See more: New bus routes are going to serve Barra LRT Station] According to the chairman, each train has a maximum capacity of 200 people. However, he does not anticipate the passenger volume to significantly increase for the time being.  Passengers can buy tickets in person or use their Macau Pass or Light Rail Pass. Other payment types such as MPay are temporarily unavailable.  The new station has twelve retail spaces, although there were no bidders for the tenders previously announced. A carpark has also been built, with 201 spaces for cars and 403 spots reserved for motorcycles.  In order to facilitate travel from the LRT station to other parts of the Macao peninsula, the transport department has set up new bus routes.  —With reporting by Kenny Fong  ]]> Wed, 06 Dec 2023 07:56:15 +0800 Erico Dias 68140 2023-12-06 07:56:15 2023-12-06 07:56:15 24374 Local secondary school students performed exceptionally well in the OECD’s triennial ranking of academic performance – coming second in maths and third in science. ]]>Macao’s students are the second best at maths in the world – and the third best at science, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The impressive achievement was revealed in the OECD’s latest Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) results, which relate to 2022. Every three years, PISA takes a random selection of 15-year-olds from 81 territories and tests their academic chops in three key subjects: maths, reading and science.  Macao’s 2022 cohort was ranked seventh in reading – making for top ten scores in all three subjects. This status was shared with Singapore (which came first across the board), Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Estonia and Canada. [See more: The Finnish line: New approaches to education at Macao’s Generations International School] At a press conference yesterday, Professor Cheung Kwok Cheung of the University of Macau’s Education Faculty said the PISA results showed that Macao’s education system was highly inclusive – a fact acknowledged by the OECD, the Macau Daily Post reported. He also said that Macao was one of the few participants to improve its academic performance during the Covid-19 period. On a less positive note, the OECD noted that many Macao students experienced fear of failure, and had relatively limited access to extra-curricular activities like sports.  In response, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) has said it would pay more attention to students’ mental and physical well-being.  ]]> Tue, 05 Dec 2023 07:45:42 +0800 Erico Dias 68107 2023-12-05 07:45:42 2023-12-05 07:45:42 24374 Macao’s minimum wage is going up to 34 patacas per hour next year. That extra money has to come from somewhere. ]]>Companies impacted by the minimum wage hike that kicks in from January in Macao will likely face an increase in overall costs of up to 2.8 percent, Jornal Tribuna de Macau reports. The claim was based on findings from the Statistics and Census Service (known by its Portuguese initials DSEC). Estimates suggest around 21,800 workers currently earn minimum wage in Macao, with almost 82 percent of them non-residents. From 1 January, their earnings will increase by 6.25 percent – whether they’re paid by the hour, day, week, or month. [See more: Another minimum wage review will take place next November] Half of these workers are employed by companies as security guards, cleaners and doormen (a category more broadly known as “services to real estate”). Seventeen percent of minimum wage earners work in restaurants as cooks, waiters, and general staff, while 12 percent work in the wholesale and retail sector. Macao’s new earnings legislation will boost minimum wages to 7,072 patacas a month, or 1,536 patacas a week. Employees on day rates will earn 272 patacas per day, while those working for an hourly rate will get 34 patacas.   ]]> Tue, 05 Dec 2023 07:41:38 +0800 Erico Dias 68106 2023-12-05 07:50:00 2023-12-05 07:41:38 24374 The fastest growing areas of criminal activity are telecommunications fraud – including phone scammers impersonating government officials – and illegal currency exchange activities.]]>Macao’s police force recorded a 31.7 percent increase in crime across the first three quarters of 2023, when compared with the same period last year, the Macau Post Daily reports. Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said that telecommunications fraud was the fastest-growing type of crime in the SAR. This includes telephone scams involving the impersonation of government officials, computer fraud relating to online credit card transactions, and ticket scams. Wong said that police prevented 505 telecom fraud cases in the first nine months of the year, involving over 110 million patacas. He noted that new scam methodologies such as AI face-swapping and synthetic voice technology were being observed in neighbouring regions, but had yet to reach Macao. [See more: Cyberattacks in Macao are soaring but officials say most are being foiled] Illegal currency exchange activities are also on the rise. More than 1,000 individuals were reported to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, said Wong, and could face entry bans into gaming venues. According to Wong, the rise in crime reflects the resumption of cross-border travel since the start of the year – when Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.  He noted, however, that the total number of crimes committed between January and September this year was still 8.9 percent fewer than those reported during the first nine months of pre-pandemic 2019.  ]]>