Macao leader says he will not seek another term due to health reasons, 2 months before the election

HONG KONG — Macao leader Ho Iat Seng announced Wednesday he would not seek another term due to health reasons, less than two months before the election for the top official of the casino city.

Ho said in a statement that he has deep feelings for Macao and has done his best for the development of the semi-autonomous Chinese city, neighboring Hong Kong, since he began his five-year term in 2019.

“However, due to my health not fully recovering, and for the long-term development of Macao, I have decided not to participate in the sixth election for the Chief Executive,” he said.

He did not elaborate on the reasons for his decision but thanked Beijing and the people in the former Portuguese colony for their trust.

The election for Macao’s top job is set to be held in October, with a 400-member committee — mostly dominated by establishment figures — picking the leader. People interested in becoming a candidate can submit their application between August 29 and September 12.

In July, a government announcement about Ho’s decision to extend his leave to 39 days in total sparked concerns about his health, local media reported. But his administration insisted at that time that Ho was in good health and undergoing routine medical check-ups and receiving treatment, the reports said.

It is unclear who will take over Ho’s job when his term ends in December. But one main goal for the Macao government is to diversify the city’s economy with retail trade, entertainment and other industries and to reduce reliance on gamblers from the mainland, its main revenue source.

A businessman, Jorge Chiang, announced last month his intention to run for the leadership post on Facebook.

Macao, with a population of 687,000, returned to China’s rule in 1999 and will mark the 25th anniversary of the handover in December.