XN000022-1990-11-07 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1990

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GOVERNMENT WILL NOT INTRODUCE COMPULSORY VOTING IN 1991: CS

THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT INTRODUCE COMPULSORY VOTING FOR THE 1991 ELECTIONS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD SAID TODAY

(WEDNESDAY).

TIEN

SIR DAVID WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION RAISED BY THE HON JAMBS ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER INTRODUCING COMPULSORY VOTING FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS ELECTIONS IN 1991.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS HIGHLY DEBATABLE WHETHER DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE PRACTISED THROUGH COMPULSION.

HE SAID WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, MOST DEMOCRACIES IN THE WORLD

DID NOT COMPEL PEOPLE TO TURN OUT TO VOTE BY LAW.

"

'IN HONG KONG, WE RECOGNISE THAT IT IS A RIGHT OF OUR PEOPLE TO VOTE AT ELECTIONS.

**IN A FREE SOCIETY SUCH AS OURS, WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE FREE, CONSCIOUS CHOICE OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO EXERCISE THIS RIGHT," HE SAID.

ON VOTER REGISTRATION, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOT SET A TARGET FOR THIS YEAR'S VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE AND WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO REGISTER.

BY OCTOBER 1, ABOUT 430,000 APPLICATION FORMS HAD BEEN RECEIVED, BUT MANY OF THESE WERE NOTIFICATIONS OF CHANGE

OF ADDRESS FROM

THOSE ALREADY REGISTERED OR WERE DUPLICATES, HE SAID.

THE PROVISIONAL REGISTER OF ELECTORS, SAID SIR DAVID, WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN TWO DAYS' TIME, ON NOVEMBER 9, 1990.

"WE EXPECT THAT IT WILL HAVE 241,530 NEW VOTERS IN ADDITION то THE EXISTING 1,597,567.

"AFTER WE HAVE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT DELETIONS ON ACCOUNT OF DEATH, EMIGRATION OR LOSS OF CONTACT, THE PROVISIONAL REGISTER WILL CONTAIN ABOUT 1.8 MILLION ELECTORS," HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS STILL GETTING LATE APPLICATIONS, WHICH IF RECEIVED BEFORE NOVEMBER 20, WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL REGISTER TO BE PUBLISHED IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR.

"BY PROJECTION, WE EXPECT TO ADD ANOTHER 50,000 NEW VOTERS ONTO THE FINAL REGISTER. THIS WOULD BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER ON THE REGISTER TO ABOUT 1.85 MILLION, THAT IS A NET INCREASE OF 252,000 OVER THE NUMBER IN THE EXISTING REGISTER.

"THIS INCREASE COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH THE AGGREGATE NET INCREASE FROM 1985 TO 1989 OF 156,000," THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

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