The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, said the Government would study whether to revise the Annex I and II of the Basic Law, which laid out the method for the selection of the Chief Executive and the formation of the Legislative Assembly. Speaking at a press conference after delivering the Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2012, Mr Chui said the Government had been gathering opinion from the public over the issue of development of political system. Since the establishment of the Third-term Macao SAR Government, it had received 164 written responses from the public, he said. On the whole, most of the opinions gathered expressed the wish to make adequate adjustments to the elections of the Chief Executive in 2013 and the Legislative Assembly in 2014, he said. He said the Government would conduct public consultations to continue to gather opinion and stressed that the Government had no preference in the revision of the methods of the two elections. He would soon write to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to confirm the necessary procedures. Mr Chui said the Government would step up relevant studies of Macao's middle class to take into account their concerns when formulating public policies. Speaking on the issue of housing, Mr Chui said the Government would complete the constructions of 19,000 public housing units by the year-end of 2012, begin the planning of a reserve of 6,300 public housing units and waive the rent of public housing tenants for next year. He said the Government had reserved enough land for public housing and urged the public to be patient and have confidence in the Government. Though the Government expected the monthly gaming revenue next year to exceed 20 billion patacas, it would take a cautious approach in managing public finance. He also said that the Government would continue the renewal of urban areas in order to enhance the standard of the environment and hygiene of the older districts. As for the revision of the salary system of civil servants, Mr Chui said he had met many civil servants' associations recently to listen to their opinions. The Government would study the establishment of Civil Service Pay Council, to allow for a fair, independent and scientific pay adjustment mechanism for civil servants.
