The Government was determined to boost efforts to combat corruption, stated the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan. Such efforts included further optimisation of Macao’s anti-corruption measures, she added.

The Secretary said she believed society was pleased to see the Government’s current enforcement action against suspected corruption.

The Commission Against Corruption is currently investigating a criminal case of suspected corruption involving staff at the Public Prosecutions Office.

Ms Chan made her comments to reporters on Monday (29 February), when she attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new President of the Management Committee of the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Mr José Maria da Fonseca Tavares.

In addition, Ms Chan disclosed that a review of the organisational law on the judiciary was now under way. The review is expected to be completed before the end of this year. Likely amendments to the law would cover optimisation of the operation of the Public Prosecutions Office, including measures to advance the processing of cases.

The Secretary also commented on the government plan for the establishment of a municipal organisation without direct political power. She said a public consultation on such a body had been scheduled and would be held as planned at the end of this year.

The Government would make proposals regarding such a body after analysing opinion collected via the public consultation. Such proposals would take into consideration the way such a body would differ in nature and function from the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and other existing public bodies.