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Transcript of the Governor's media session after visiting polling station
The following is the transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after visiting the polling station at Lutheran Primary School, Yuen Long, this (Sunday) morning.
Governor: Morning. I am pleased to see the election arrangements, proceeding as smoothly and efficiently as ever. It's good to see people turning out on a fine day to vote for the Municipal Councils. The last turnout figures, I saw for the whole of Hong Kong at 11.30, suggested that almost 40,000 more people had voted than at the similar time in the Municipal Councils elections in 1991. So I hope that stays up and that we have a good turnout today. The Municipal Councils do an important job and I hope that as many people as possible vote to put their stamp on the policies of the Municipal Councils in the years ahead.
Question: Do you think it is a smooth election as some supporters in Kwun Tong District fight each other?
Governor: I think there was a bit of trouble in one district, but overall, the arrangements have gone as smoothly as they always do in Hong Kong. This is an extremely responsible and moderate community, and as ever people are going about their duty as citizens in a very competent and moderate way. But where there is trouble, it obviously has to be dealt with.
Question: How to avoid this kind of fighting or... affecting the clean election?
Governor: I think that in elections anywhere in the world, there is from time to time a bit of trouble when people get very excitable at the polling booths. Perhaps the remarkable thing about Hong Kong is that there's as little trouble as there is.
Question: Governor, about the village representatives in Yuen Long, you are now in a place that native villagers and in a lot of villages, they still not agree to have one person one vote...village. How do you feel about that is it fair to the both sex?
Governor: I want to have a look at the details of the particular case before commenting on it.
Question: Are you optimistic of today's voting rate?