Macao’s former top judge Sam Hou-fai on Tuesday submitted 383 nominations from the 400-strong Election Committee - far exceeding the minimum of 66 nominations required to qualify for next month’s chief executive election.

Under the special administrative region’s laws, each member of the committee, which will choose the city’s sixth-term chief executive on Oct 13, can only nominate one candidate for the election.  

The overwhelming number of nominations for Sam means he would probably be the sole candidate for the top job. The nomination period ends on Sept 12.

Sam submitted his nomination form at the Public Administration Building on Tuesday morning, saying he’s satisfied with the number of nominations he has garnered.

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He said his approach is to actively engage with members of the Election Committee to gather their views and support. He pledged to get in touch with more representatives from all walks of life, including those who did not nominate him, to build broader trust.

Born in Guangdong province in 1962, Sam moved to Macao in the 1980s and joined the city’s first group of judicial auditors in 1995. He was appointed president of Macao’s Court of Final Appeal on Dec 20, 1999, and had held the post for nearly 25 years until Aug 28 this year.

He said if his candidacy is legally confirmed, he’ll actively prepare his policy platform and visit communities to acquaint himself with their situation.

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The former top judge announced his bid for chief executive on Aug 28 after incumbent chief executive Ho Iat-seng said he’ll not seek a second term, citing health reasons. Ho’s five-year tenure ends in December.