VZCZCXRO1782
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHHK #2143/01 2280917
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 160917Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2620
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 002143 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2032 
TAGS: PGOV ECON EFIN ELAB PREL PINR HK MC
SUBJECT: MACAU: CHARGES OF CORRUPTION LEVIED AGAINST CHIEF 
EXECUTIVE 
 
REF: A. A. HONG KONG 000193 
     ¶B. B. HONG KONG 001203 
     ¶C. C. HONG KONG 001675 
 
Classified By: Acting E/P Section Chief Jeff Zaiser; Reasons 1.4 (b, d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  According to the August 13 "South China 
Morning Post" newspaper, Macau Chief Executive (CE) Edmund Ho 
and his brothers collectively own more than US$12 million 
worth of shares in Many Town Company Limited, which in turn 
is a shareholder in the gambling and property businesses of 
Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho.  Failure to disclose such 
holdings would constitute a violation of Macau law, and the 
Macau Government Information Bureau has stated that CE Ho has 
complied with the law.  Macau legislators Antonio Ng and Jose 
Coutinho have challenged CE Ho,s statements and publicly 
pressured him for a more complete disclosure.  On August 15, 
the CE Office released a statement on the Macau government 
website documenting that CE Ho, in response to media coverage 
and public pressure, had submitted a copy of the share 
transfer contract signed with his brother and related 
documents to the Court of Final Appeal.  CE Ho also 
reiterated his commitment to integrity for all Macau 
officials.  There have been no further calls for an 
investigation into the matter.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Comment:  The hypersensitivity of the press and some 
legislators toward this story, following a perceived 
hesitation in response from CE Ho, serves as a reminder of 
deep public concern over clean governance, especially in the 
aftermath of the Ao Man Long corruption scandal (reftels). 
With the Macau government flush with cash from gaming 
revenues and also under some pressure for not adequately 
addressing social welfare concerns, the public will continue 
to show little patience for any lack of transparency and 
accountability by government officials.  Furthermore, the 
extent to which these issues remain on the agenda for the 
planned October 1 demonstration, billed to be one of the 
largest in size and scope for Macau in recent years, will 
indicate the measure of public and legislative sentiment over 
revising relevant laws (in particular, Macau's Property 
Declaration Law of 2003).  On the other hand, Ho undoubtedly 
has acquired political enemies during his long, high-profile 
business and public service career, one of whom may have 
planted or leaked this story to the press.  End comment. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" (SCMP) 
reported August 13 that Macau CE Edmund Ho and his brothers 
collectively own more than US$12 million in Many Town Company 
Limited, which in turn is invested in Sociedade De Turismo e 
Diversoes de Macau (STDM) and Shun Tak Holdings, both owned 
by property tycoon and Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho.  CE Ho 
and his brothers reportedly inherited their father's shares 
after his death in 1983.  (Note:  Their father, Ho Yin, 
founder of Macau's Tai Fung Bank, rose to be one of the most 
influential figures in Macau from 1950 to the early 1980s, 
including service as chairman of the Macau Chinese General 
Chamber of Commerce.  Ho Yin was well-connected with 
Portuguese governors in the enclave, as well as prominent 
officials in Beijing, including Mao Zedong.  He was one of 
the first two residents of the enclave appointed to the 
National People's Congress Standing Committee.  End note.) 
According to the SCMP report, Edmund Ho's alleged failure to 
disclose his holdings in Many Town would constitute a 
violation of Macau law. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  The Macau Government Information Bureau responded 
to a letter from the SCMP by stating (in lightly edited 
form):  "the Chief Executive, Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, 
inherited a certain number of shares in Many Town from his 
father, Mr. Ho Yin...and declared his assets in accordance 
with the Basic Law when he took office as the Chief Executive 
of the Macau Special Administrative Region in 1999..." 
(Note:  Macau's Basic Law, Article 49, stipulates that the 
Chief Executive of the Macau SAR shall not engage in any 
activities for his or her personal gains.  The Chief 
Executive, on assuming office, shall declare his or her 
assets to the President of the Court of Final Appeal."  End 
note.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Separately, Stanley Ho's law firm, Herbert Smith, 
reportedly said:  "To the best of our client's knowledge and 
belief, Mr. Edmund Ho does not currently hold any direct or 
indirect interests in STDM."  Although CE Ho said he had 
transferred his shares to his brother, Ho Hau-wing, in 1995, 
Many Town's shareholder registry does not reflect the 
transfer.  Legislators Antonio Ng and Jose Coutinho 
challenged CE Ho's statements and continue to publicly 
 
HONG KONG 00002143  002 OF 002 
 
 
pressure the CE for a more complete disclosure.  The 
outspoken legislators have also suggested that the issue of 
government transparency should be discussed in the 
Legislative Assembly. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On August 15, the Office of the Chief Executive 
released a statement on the Macau government website that CE 
Ho, in response to media coverage and public pressure, had 
submitted a copy of the share transfer contract signed with 
his brother and related documents to the Court of Final 
Appeal.  The statement claimed that CE Ho was still listed 
with the registry authority in Hong Kong because he had been 
one of the administrators of his father's estate.  CE Ho 
reiterated his commitment to integrity for all Macau 
officials, and there have been no further calls for an 
investigation into the matter. 
Marut