ICAC launches education and publicity initiatives to safeguard clean rural elections
2022-11-3
The ICAC has kicked off an array of education and publicity initiatives to call on candidates, election helpers and electors to jointly uphold a clean and fair Rural Representative Election, which will be open for nomination tomorrow (November 4).
For the upcoming 2023 Rural Representative Election, the Village Representative Election will be held on January 8 next year, followed by the Kaifong Representative Election for Market Towns to be conducted on January 15. The nomination period will start from tomorrow to November 17.
To help prospective candidates, election helpers and electors better understand the provisions of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO), ICAC has arranged briefing sessions for all 27 Rural Committees. Also, ICAC representatives will also attend the briefing organised by the Electoral Affairs Commission to remind candidates of the relevant legal requirements as well as common corruption pitfalls.
The ICAC will also organise talks and publicity programmes, including educational filmlets and quiz games, through non-governmental organisations, elderly centres and rural organisations to help disseminate clean election messages. The Commission will also promote clean election messages to the electors living outside Hong Kong through the Mainland Offices of the HKSAR Government and the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices.
Meanwhile, the ICAC will distribute the Clean Rural Elections Information Booklet to candidates and their election helpers. “During the production of the booklet, the ICAC has summarised the enquiries and concerns raised in the previous rural elections. In the Questions and Answers section, candidates are reminded not to invite or induce any person to vote at an election knowing that the person is not entitled to do so, bribe for votes by offering advantages, refreshments or entertainment, or use force or duress to influence the electors’ choice in the election,” said Mr Franklin Chiu Yue-tat, ICAC’s Programme Coordinator (Clean Elections). The booklet also contains a gist of past election-related cases, as well as a Dos and Don’ts Checklist reminding candidates and election helpers when conducting electioneering activities.
Mr Chiu added that following the amendment of the ECICO last year, there are two newly introduced offences – wilfully obstructing or preventing another person from voting at an election as a corrupt conduct; and inciting voters not to vote or to cast invalid votes by activity in public during election period as an illegal conduct. The ICAC reminds citizens not to participate in any illegal behaviour, and to jointly uphold clean and fair elections.
The ICAC also prepares reminder leaflets which will be mailed to all electors along with the polling card, reminding them of the major provisions of the ECICO.
In regard to different irregularities in the past rural elections which have aroused immense public concerns, the ICAC also produces a series of posters which will be posted in rural areas and related rural organisations. The Commission will widely promote the gist of ECICO through radio broadcast, public transport promotional facilities, publicity leaflets and various platforms, and call on members of the public to jointly safeguard clean rural election.
On polling days, ICAC will deploy officers to the polling stations in various districts to swiftly handle related enquiries and complaints, and take enforcement action where necessary. They will also observe the voting and vote counting procedures at the polling stations, and provide corruption prevention advice to related departments and bureaux after the election if necessary.
During the election period, the ICAC runs an enquiry hotline 2920 7878 for public enquiries relating to the ECICO and ICAC’s education and publicity initiatives for the Rural Representative Election. Relevant educational and publicity materials concerning the Rural Representative Election are also available for public access from ICAC’s “Clean Elections Website” (www.icac.org.hk/icac/elect/2023re/en).
Members of the public can report any suspected breaches of the ECICO in relation to the Rural Representative Election by visiting the ICAC Headquarters or any Regional Offices in person, or by calling the 24-hour Report Centre hotline at 2526 6366.
For the upcoming 2023 Rural Representative Election, the Village Representative Election will be held on January 8 next year, followed by the Kaifong Representative Election for Market Towns to be conducted on January 15. The nomination period will start from tomorrow to November 17.
To help prospective candidates, election helpers and electors better understand the provisions of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO), ICAC has arranged briefing sessions for all 27 Rural Committees. Also, ICAC representatives will also attend the briefing organised by the Electoral Affairs Commission to remind candidates of the relevant legal requirements as well as common corruption pitfalls.
The ICAC will also organise talks and publicity programmes, including educational filmlets and quiz games, through non-governmental organisations, elderly centres and rural organisations to help disseminate clean election messages. The Commission will also promote clean election messages to the electors living outside Hong Kong through the Mainland Offices of the HKSAR Government and the overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices.
Meanwhile, the ICAC will distribute the Clean Rural Elections Information Booklet to candidates and their election helpers. “During the production of the booklet, the ICAC has summarised the enquiries and concerns raised in the previous rural elections. In the Questions and Answers section, candidates are reminded not to invite or induce any person to vote at an election knowing that the person is not entitled to do so, bribe for votes by offering advantages, refreshments or entertainment, or use force or duress to influence the electors’ choice in the election,” said Mr Franklin Chiu Yue-tat, ICAC’s Programme Coordinator (Clean Elections). The booklet also contains a gist of past election-related cases, as well as a Dos and Don’ts Checklist reminding candidates and election helpers when conducting electioneering activities.
Mr Chiu added that following the amendment of the ECICO last year, there are two newly introduced offences – wilfully obstructing or preventing another person from voting at an election as a corrupt conduct; and inciting voters not to vote or to cast invalid votes by activity in public during election period as an illegal conduct. The ICAC reminds citizens not to participate in any illegal behaviour, and to jointly uphold clean and fair elections.
The ICAC also prepares reminder leaflets which will be mailed to all electors along with the polling card, reminding them of the major provisions of the ECICO.
In regard to different irregularities in the past rural elections which have aroused immense public concerns, the ICAC also produces a series of posters which will be posted in rural areas and related rural organisations. The Commission will widely promote the gist of ECICO through radio broadcast, public transport promotional facilities, publicity leaflets and various platforms, and call on members of the public to jointly safeguard clean rural election.
On polling days, ICAC will deploy officers to the polling stations in various districts to swiftly handle related enquiries and complaints, and take enforcement action where necessary. They will also observe the voting and vote counting procedures at the polling stations, and provide corruption prevention advice to related departments and bureaux after the election if necessary.
During the election period, the ICAC runs an enquiry hotline 2920 7878 for public enquiries relating to the ECICO and ICAC’s education and publicity initiatives for the Rural Representative Election. Relevant educational and publicity materials concerning the Rural Representative Election are also available for public access from ICAC’s “Clean Elections Website” (www.icac.org.hk/icac/elect/2023re/en).
Members of the public can report any suspected breaches of the ECICO in relation to the Rural Representative Election by visiting the ICAC Headquarters or any Regional Offices in person, or by calling the 24-hour Report Centre hotline at 2526 6366.
