Casino Interests, Fujian Tongxianghui and Electoral Politics in Macao

ABSTRACT

The study of hometown associations has been traditionally focused on their social and cultural activities, but little research has been conducted on their political and electoral participation. The direct elections held for the Legislative Assembly in September 2013 in the Macao Special Administrative Region were characterised by the emergence of a clear triangular relationship between casino interests, Fujianese tongxianghui (a hometown association or an interest group with members sharing the same locality ties) and electoral politics. The prominent victory of an electoral group led by the Fujianese tongxianghui and represented under the umbrella of the United Citizens Association of Macao (UCAM) was unprecedented in Macao’s political participation and historical development. As a community leader of the Fujian community, Chan Meng Kam formed the UCAM to perform multiple functions: protecting his casino interests, articulating the interests of the Fujianese and the society vis-à-vis the casino state, acting as an intermediary between the Macao government and ordinary citizens, especially in the northern district which is the power base of the UCAM, and serving as a united front machinery for a unique sub-ethnic interest group to win the hearts and minds of the people of Macao.

KEYWORDS:

• Casinos
• sub-ethnic politics
• elections
• macao
• hometown associations

Notes

1. Thanks to the reviewer for this important point.

2. All these campaign leaflets are available at the website of the Election Commission, http://www.eal.gov.mo, accessed April 5, 2014.

3. See the campaign leaflet of Angela Leong’s list, http://www.eal.gov.mo, accessed April 5, 2014.

4. See the campaign leaflets of the lists led by Melinda Chan and Chan Meng Kam, http://www.eal.gov.mo, accessed April 5, 2014.