page_title: José Pereira Coutinho
section_title: Political and social activities
hierarchical_section_title: José Pereira Coutinho / Political and social activities
caption_attribution_description: English: Jose Pereira Coutinho protesting in the streets of Macau in 2014
context_page_description: José Maria Pereira Coutinho ComM is a Macanese politician and jurist. He has been the Counselor of the Portuguese Communities since 2003, President of Macau Civil Servants Association since 1998, and President of pro-democracy party New Hope and Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of Macau since 2005.
context_section_description: José Pereira Coutinho is a popular figure in Macau as he often becomes acquainted in sensitive issues of Macau society that many with authority prefer conveniently to not touch or at least avoid being in the spot light. His frontal, direct and fearless approach in any issue has earned him many supporters and respect among the citizens of Macau who are traditionally conservative and distant from social and political affairs.
  José Pereira Coutinho has participated in multiple political and social activities in Macau since early 2000 such as visiting poor families in the name of Macau Civil Servants Association and promoting the practice of sports specially among the youth (Coutinho himself is a former football player in the Macau 1st Division).
  In October 2007, Coutinho highlighted how the Macau government was not telling the truth when it claimed that the gaming industry was helping Macau's wealth. According to Coutinho, the gaming Industry is only benefiting a few individuals leaving many in increasing difficulties as day goes by. Such difficulties did not exist or at least were not prominent previous to the boom of the Gaming Industry in Macau.
  In October 2012, Coutinho continued to criticise Macau government strategy by stating that Macau has only one public hospital, but 36 casinos operating. The only public hospital in Macau is Hospital Conde S. Januario which was established in 1874.
  Coutinho led a protest in the streets of Macau against a bill that was rejected by his peers in the Legislative Assembly in February 2014. This bill which was proposed by Coutinho would give animals basic rights since there is no regulation of what happens to the horses and greyhounds, which are also victims of the gaming industry.
  Coutinho successfully led a massive protest in May 2014 in the streets of Macau against a proposal that his fellow deputies attempted to approve which basically consists of giving criminal immunity to government officials during and after their contracts end. The protest was so huge that the bill was consequently withdrawn even though the protest happened during the working hours of a working day.
  In September 2015, José Pereira Coutinho became acquainted in the Dore Holdings case as he received 53 complaints from individuals that requested his help. The disappearance of $2 billion HKD from the junket's operator in one day may have opened a window to a deeper and darker side of Macau Gaming Industry since there are more junket operators and Dore Holdings is not the largest one.
caption: José Pereira Coutinho protesting in the streets of Macau in February 2014 against the rejection by the Legislative Assembly of a bill that gives animals basic rights
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