The first chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Ho Hau Wah appointed all the 22 members of provisional municipal councils of the Macao SAR on December 17.

The members, including 13 for the Provisional Macao Municipal Organ and nine for the Provisional Islands Municipal Organ, will assume office as China resumes the exercise of sovereignty over Macao on December 20. Their tenure will expire upon the creation of new municipal organs, which is slated before the end of 2001.

Jose Luis de Sales marques, president of the current Macao Municipal Council, was appointed president of the Executive Committee of the Provisional Macao Municipal Organ. Joaquim Ribeiro Madeira de Carvalho, president of the current Islands Municipal Council, was appointed president of the Executive Committee of the Provisional Islands Municipal Organ.

The appointments were made in accordance with a decision of the Preparatory Committee for the Macao SAR.

Depending on their own wishes, elected members of the Portuguese municipal councils may become members of the provisional municipal organs of the Macao SAR.