Sam Hou-fai elected Macau's CE

The sole candidate in the election for Macau’s leader Sam Hou-fai was elected the sixth-term chief executive on Sunday, pending appointment by the central government.

The former top judge secured 394 votes out of the 400-member Chief Executive Election Committee, accounting for 98.5 percent of the total number of electors.

In total, 398 election committee members cast their ballots, the remaining four were blank votes.

Sam, 62, pledged to uphold national sovereignty, accelerate economic diversification of the city and better integrate it into the national development plans in his election speech. He noted that his basic guideline would be the comprehensive and unswerving implementation of China's "one country, two systems" principle.

"People want a capable and proactive government," he said after being announced as the chief executive-elect. "[They] hope the government can take the initiative to improve the business environment, to support the recovery and development of the local economy, to assist micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in difficulty."

He is expected to assume office in December, when the city marks the 25th anniversary of its handover to China's rule.

Sam is widely seen to have Beijing’s blessings. During the nomination period, he had already secured endorsements from 386 election committee members who voted in batches in a conference hall on Sunday.

The shift in the leadership to someone from the legal profession is likely to create expectations of a declining influence from business circles, which critics have often accused of colluding with officials, analysts say.