Public urged to uphold clean Legislative Council Election
2016-7-14
The ICAC has rolled out a multi-faceted education and publicity campaign to urge candidates and electors in the forthcoming Legislative Council (Legco) Election to abide by the law and uphold a fair and clean election.
The 2016 Legco Election, scheduled for September 4, will be open for nominations from July 16 (Saturday) until July 29.
With the assistance of the Registration and Electoral Office, a copy of the ICAC’s Clean Legislative Council Election Information Booklet will be distributed to candidates when they submit their nominations.
Apart from the major provisions of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO), the booklet also features a “questions and answers” section with scenarios addressing common concerns raised by candidates in previous Legco elections, as well as a Dos and Don’ts Checklist on electioneering to serve as a quick reminder for candidates and their election helpers.
“The information booklet will help candidates and election helpers better understand the spirit and application of the law,” said the ICAC’s Programme Coordinator (Clean Elections) Lily Chung Lai-tuen.
A chapter on past election cases concerning bribing electors, offering discounted meals, vote-rigging and failing to obtain written consent for support in election advertisements, is also included in the booklet.
The ICAC received 343 complaints in relation to the 2012 Legco Election, of which over 60 per cent concerned illegal conduct, such as persons other than candidates and election expense agents incurring election expenses, publishing false or misleading statements about candidates, as well as non-compliance with the requirements of lodging election returns.
So far, 27 complaints alleging irregularities relating to the Legco By-election (New Territories East Geographical Constituency) held in February this year were received. These mainly concerned bribing electors or others at election, and publishing false or misleading statements about a candidate.
The ICAC so far has not received any complaints in relation to the 2016 Legco Election.
In addition to the information booklet, other education and publicity programmes have been launched to raise public awareness, Ms Chung said.
The ICAC has earlier written to major political parties and representative organisations of functional constituencies to introduce ICAC’s services, including election briefings to explain major provisions of the ECICO and common pitfalls in conducting election activities to those interested in standing for the Legco Election.
“Members of the public, including political parties and district organisations, are welcome to approach the ICAC for educational services in relation to the upcoming election,” Ms Chung added.
ICAC representatives will also attend a briefing organised by the Electoral Affairs Commission in August to address common pitfalls in electioneering. A “Guidelines for Electors” leaflet containing major points-to-note of the ECICO will also be mailed to all electors along with the polling notice.
The ICAC has also produced 40,000 copies of Information Pack for Electors which will be distributed at roving exhibitions being staged across the territory to promote clean election messages, while relevant TV and radio advertisements have also been launched.
Relevant educational materials concerning the Legco Election are available for public access on the ICAC’s dedicated webpage “Support Clean Legislative Council Election” at www.icac.org.hk/elections.
Members of the public may call the ICAC’s Clean Election Enquiry Hotline 2920 7878 for enquiries on the ECICO and lodge complaints about any suspected corrupt and illegal conduct with the 24-hour ICAC Report Centre at 25 266 366.
The 2016 Legco Election, scheduled for September 4, will be open for nominations from July 16 (Saturday) until July 29.
With the assistance of the Registration and Electoral Office, a copy of the ICAC’s Clean Legislative Council Election Information Booklet will be distributed to candidates when they submit their nominations.
Apart from the major provisions of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (ECICO), the booklet also features a “questions and answers” section with scenarios addressing common concerns raised by candidates in previous Legco elections, as well as a Dos and Don’ts Checklist on electioneering to serve as a quick reminder for candidates and their election helpers.
“The information booklet will help candidates and election helpers better understand the spirit and application of the law,” said the ICAC’s Programme Coordinator (Clean Elections) Lily Chung Lai-tuen.
A chapter on past election cases concerning bribing electors, offering discounted meals, vote-rigging and failing to obtain written consent for support in election advertisements, is also included in the booklet.
The ICAC received 343 complaints in relation to the 2012 Legco Election, of which over 60 per cent concerned illegal conduct, such as persons other than candidates and election expense agents incurring election expenses, publishing false or misleading statements about candidates, as well as non-compliance with the requirements of lodging election returns.
So far, 27 complaints alleging irregularities relating to the Legco By-election (New Territories East Geographical Constituency) held in February this year were received. These mainly concerned bribing electors or others at election, and publishing false or misleading statements about a candidate.
The ICAC so far has not received any complaints in relation to the 2016 Legco Election.
In addition to the information booklet, other education and publicity programmes have been launched to raise public awareness, Ms Chung said.
The ICAC has earlier written to major political parties and representative organisations of functional constituencies to introduce ICAC’s services, including election briefings to explain major provisions of the ECICO and common pitfalls in conducting election activities to those interested in standing for the Legco Election.
“Members of the public, including political parties and district organisations, are welcome to approach the ICAC for educational services in relation to the upcoming election,” Ms Chung added.
ICAC representatives will also attend a briefing organised by the Electoral Affairs Commission in August to address common pitfalls in electioneering. A “Guidelines for Electors” leaflet containing major points-to-note of the ECICO will also be mailed to all electors along with the polling notice.
The ICAC has also produced 40,000 copies of Information Pack for Electors which will be distributed at roving exhibitions being staged across the territory to promote clean election messages, while relevant TV and radio advertisements have also been launched.
Relevant educational materials concerning the Legco Election are available for public access on the ICAC’s dedicated webpage “Support Clean Legislative Council Election” at www.icac.org.hk/elections.
Members of the public may call the ICAC’s Clean Election Enquiry Hotline 2920 7878 for enquiries on the ECICO and lodge complaints about any suspected corrupt and illegal conduct with the 24-hour ICAC Report Centre at 25 266 366.
The ICAC stages a series of roving exhibitions across the territory to promote clean election messages.
The ICAC’s Clean Legislative Council Election Information Booklet and publicity leaflets.
The ICAC’s Clean Legislative Council Election posters with the theme of “Say No to Electoral Bribes, for Yourself and Hong Kong”.