XN000022-1990-05-10 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1990

PUBLIC URGED NOT TO FORGO RIGHT TO VOTE

THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL TODAY (THURSDAY) APPEALED TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED KLECTORS TO COME FORWARD TO REGISTER AND TO VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR.

SUEN,

AS

"IF ANYONE FORGOES HIS CIVIC RIGHT TO REGISTER AS AN ELECTOR,

RIGHT HE WILL LOSE HIS RIGHT TO VOTE, AND THUS BE DEPRIVED OF HIS EXPRESS HIS WISHES AND ASPIRATIONS," MR SUEN SAID.

ΤΟ

H

"EVERY BALLOT PAPER REPRESENTS A VOICE. THIS IS THE MOST DIRECT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO EXERCISE ONE'S CIVIC RIGHTS, HE TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE TAI PING SHAN LION'S CLUB.

"FOR THE MAN IN THE STREET, THE MOST

SIGNIFICANT MEANING OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IS THE RIGHT TO ELECT REPRESENTATIVES OF HIS CHOICE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS BY SECRET BALLOTS IN ELECTIONS WHICH ARE HELD REGULARLY AND FAIRLY," HE SAID.

THE DEVElopment oF ANY FORM OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT DEPENDED LARGELY ON THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PEOPLE IN EXERCISING THEIR ELECTORAL RIGHTS, HE ADDED.

·

TO PROMOTE VOTER REGISTRATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET UP AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP WITH MEMBERS FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS BRANCH, INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, AND RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG.

ONE OBJECTIVE OF THE WORKING GROUP WAS TO AROUSE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTIONS TO THE THREE-TIER STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH WOULD BE HELD CONSECUTIVELY NEXT YEAR IN MARCH, MAY AND SEPTEMBER.

A SUM OF $2.56 MILLION HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR VOTER

BE CONDUCTED REGISTRATION PUBLICITY TO

THIS SUMMER. HE SAID THE AMOUNT REPRESENTED A 50 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE ALLOCATION FOR 1987 EXERCISE AND A 100 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THAT FOR 1984.

PUBLICITY TO PROMOTE VOTER REGISTRATION WOULD BE CONDUCTED BOTH THE CENTRAL LEVEL AND THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

THE

AT

AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL, THE PROGRAMME WOULD INCLUDE INCREASING

FOR THE NUMBER OF DISTRIBUTION POINTS

VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS TO

ABOUT

PERIOD FROM

1,400 DURING

OCTOBER 1.

THE REGISTRATION

AUGUST

15

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ANOTHER PLAN UNDER CONSIDERATION IS TO PRINT THE APPLICATION FORM IN NEWSPAPERS OR AS AN ATTACHMENT TO MAGAZINES.

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