The memorial service for the nation’s former president, Mr Jiang Zemin, was held with solemnity at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing at 10am today. As a mark of respect for the former leader, the Chief Executive, Mr Ho Iat Seng, led a delegation of Government officials to watch, at the China–Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex, a relay of the live broadcast of the memorial service, and to observe a three-minute silence to the late leader.
The Chief Executive’s delegation consisted of more than 260 people, including principal officials, members of the Executive Council, and heads of public departments. Each person had a white-flower buttonhole, and all participants watching the live broadcast stood to attention at 10am to observed the three-minute silence in synchrony with the actual ceremony’s proceedings.
Members of the Legislative Assembly and supporting staff, as well as judges and non-legal members of the judiciary, also watched the live broadcast of the memorial service, and observed the three-minute silence. Officials of all public departments also observed the three-minute silence in line with the memorial service itself.
Operators of Government vehicles and vessels sounded either their horns or sirens for three minutes to pay tribute to the former leader. The warning sirens located at four of Macao’s points of highest altitude, namely Guia Lighthouse, Taipa Grande Hill, Alto de Coloane, and the Academy of Public Security Forces, were also sounded for three minutes as a mark of mourning.
The memorial service was broadcast live across television and radio channels by the public broadcaster, TDM, in order for the general public to witness the ceremony along with their compatriots on the Chinese mainland.
All national flags – and all flags of the Macao region – were flown at half-mast today at all public departments, including offices of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government based outside the city.
No Government official is attending any public entertainment activity today. All entertainment and celebratory activities organised or funded by the Government that had been scheduled for today have been suspended.
The Government had previously appealed to all community associations, organisations, and all sectors of the community, to suspend all entertainment and celebratory activities that had been scheduled for today, arrange for their staff to watch the memorial service, and participate in the mourning in silence.
In addition, the Education and Youth Development Bureau has arranged for all tertiary institutions, secondary schools, primary schools, and kindergartens in Macao to fly flags at half-mast on their respective campus facilities. Any celebratory activities that had been scheduled for today have also been postponed at those educational venues, and teachers and students have observed a three-minute silence as a mark of mourning.
