ICAC to step up publicity on new election law
2000-5-30
With the start of nominations for the Election Committee subsector elections for the Hong Kong SAR's second Legislative Council polls tomorrow, the ICAC will step up publicity for the new election law and related guidelines to ensure that the elections will be conducted in a clean and fair manner.
The new Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, which came into effect on March 3 this year, will apply for the first time in the forthcoming Legislative Council elections.
As the enforcement agency of the new legislation, the ICAC will step up publicity and education work to help participants in the elections and the general public better understand the new law, ICAC's Assistant Director of Community Relations Ms Fanny Wong said today (Tuesday).
She pointed out that the new legislation was based on the framework of the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Ordinance, but has expanded its scope of application and added new offences and terms to make it more comprehensive and comprehensible. Following the enactment of the new legislation, candidates, election agents and voters should pay attention to a number of areas, including:
Expansion of the law's application to all election-related conduct outside Hong Kong as well as to the elections of the Chief Executive and Village Representatives
Upgrading of certain illegal practices under the old law to corrupt conduct to reflect the serious nature of the offences, including vote planting, defacing or destroying ballot papers
Clearer definition. For instance, the new law now defines "voluntary service" as any service provided free of charge to a candidate by a person, voluntarily and personally, in the person's own time for the purpose of promoting the election of the candidate or prejudicing the election of another candidate. Under the new law, voluntary services need not be counted as an election expense.
A voting arrangement in itself does not constitute an "advantage" as defined in bribery offences, allowing political parties to enter into voting arrangements.
A person who, at any time before the close of nomination, has publicly declared an intention to stand as a candidate, even though he has not submitted his nomination form, is a candidate.
Ms Wong urged the candidates and all persons taking part in the coming Legislative Council elections to seek legal advice if they were in doubt.
She said the ICAC would embark on an “Abide by the Rules –'96 Support Clean Elections” programme for the coming Legislative Council elections. Publicity activities would include:
A 13-episode TV spot series to introduce to the public the major provisions of the new law and the “do's and don'ts” in electioneering activities
An information kit detailing the provisions of the new law for the candidates, election agents and helpers. There will also be a VCD to illustrate, by way of a drama, the spirit of the new law
Briefings for candidates
An election enquiry hotline and
A publicity leaflet outlining the gist of the new law.
The ICAC will also upload the main points of the new ordinance and related materials onto its web-site for browsing and downloading by residents. At the same time, the ICAC will spread the clean election message among the public through the media.
Ms Wong noted that the ICAC would exert its best efforts to promote a clean election culture beyond the councils.
“We believe that a publicity programme in the election year alone cannot make clean elections a mode of community conduct. We need a sustained, long-term publicity strategy to promote the culture of clean elections among all sections of society,” Ms Wong said.
The ICAC's initial plan is to produce an activity kit for primary schools to highlight the significance of clean elections, Ms Wong added.
The new Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, which came into effect on March 3 this year, will apply for the first time in the forthcoming Legislative Council elections.
As the enforcement agency of the new legislation, the ICAC will step up publicity and education work to help participants in the elections and the general public better understand the new law, ICAC's Assistant Director of Community Relations Ms Fanny Wong said today (Tuesday).
She pointed out that the new legislation was based on the framework of the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Ordinance, but has expanded its scope of application and added new offences and terms to make it more comprehensive and comprehensible. Following the enactment of the new legislation, candidates, election agents and voters should pay attention to a number of areas, including:
Expansion of the law's application to all election-related conduct outside Hong Kong as well as to the elections of the Chief Executive and Village Representatives
Upgrading of certain illegal practices under the old law to corrupt conduct to reflect the serious nature of the offences, including vote planting, defacing or destroying ballot papers
Clearer definition. For instance, the new law now defines "voluntary service" as any service provided free of charge to a candidate by a person, voluntarily and personally, in the person's own time for the purpose of promoting the election of the candidate or prejudicing the election of another candidate. Under the new law, voluntary services need not be counted as an election expense.
A voting arrangement in itself does not constitute an "advantage" as defined in bribery offences, allowing political parties to enter into voting arrangements.
A person who, at any time before the close of nomination, has publicly declared an intention to stand as a candidate, even though he has not submitted his nomination form, is a candidate.
Ms Wong urged the candidates and all persons taking part in the coming Legislative Council elections to seek legal advice if they were in doubt.
She said the ICAC would embark on an “Abide by the Rules –'96 Support Clean Elections” programme for the coming Legislative Council elections. Publicity activities would include:
A 13-episode TV spot series to introduce to the public the major provisions of the new law and the “do's and don'ts” in electioneering activities
An information kit detailing the provisions of the new law for the candidates, election agents and helpers. There will also be a VCD to illustrate, by way of a drama, the spirit of the new law
Briefings for candidates
An election enquiry hotline and
A publicity leaflet outlining the gist of the new law.
The ICAC will also upload the main points of the new ordinance and related materials onto its web-site for browsing and downloading by residents. At the same time, the ICAC will spread the clean election message among the public through the media.
Ms Wong noted that the ICAC would exert its best efforts to promote a clean election culture beyond the councils.
“We believe that a publicity programme in the election year alone cannot make clean elections a mode of community conduct. We need a sustained, long-term publicity strategy to promote the culture of clean elections among all sections of society,” Ms Wong said.
The ICAC's initial plan is to produce an activity kit for primary schools to highlight the significance of clean elections, Ms Wong added.