Macau's future leader denies link to land deal

In a press conference held after he announced his platform to the 300-strong election committee, Macau's former secretary for social and cultural affairs said his work in the government had nothing to do with land grants. “My work in the government never touched on the granting of land,” he said. “From the moment I took part in the chief executive election, I have strictly followed the law and the regulations. I do not have any company registrations.”

He vowed to lead a clean and transparent government after the election to succeed the current chief executive Edmund Ho.

Hong Kong media reported Saturday that a company associated with Chui Sai-cheong — the candidate's elder brother and a Macau lawmaker — bought land in 2006 that property consultants said was sold at below market price.

The 100,000 square meter site was to be developed into a theme park with a four-star hotel but has remained vacant, the South China Morning Post reported.

If construction does not begin within three years the government can legally take the site back — but it has not done so, the newspaper added.

Chui's brother told broadcaster Cable TV on Friday that everything he did was in accordance with the law.

Macau, a city of 550,000 people, was returned to Chinese rule in 1999 and runs a separate legal system from mainland China.

In a similar electoral system to neighboring Hong Kong, its chief executive is not chosen by universal suffrage but by the mainly Beijing-friendly election committee.

Macau is the only place on Chinese soil where casino gambling is allowed.

Since its gaming market was liberalized in 2002, it has overtaken Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined in terms of gaming revenue as gleaming foreign and locally-owned resorts have sprung up.

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