XN000022-1990-11-28 — Page 3

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COMMENTING ON THE SUGGESTION THAT VOTER REGISTRATION SHOULD BR MADE AUTOMATIC, BASED ON THE RECORDS OF THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE, MR TSAO SAID THE PROPOSAL HAD ITS ATTRACTIONS AND FOR THIS REASON HAD BEEN CAREFULLY EXAMINED.

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE MAJOR PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES AS THESE RECORDS WOULD NOT ESTABLISH WHETHER A PERSON WAS QUALIFIED TO REGISTER AS AN ELECTOR AND IT WAS ALSO UNLIKELY THAT ADDRESSES WOULD BE UP-TO-DATE, GIVEN THE MOBILITY OF THE POPULATION WITHIN HONG KONG.

MOREOVER, HE SAID, IN A FREE SOCIETY SUCH AS HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE AN UNDESIRABLE FEATURE FOR THE ELECTORAL LAW ΤΟ COMPEL PEOPLE TO VOTE.

"I THINK VOTING IS MUCH OF A FREE ACT AS ANY ACT IN HONG KONG. BUT IT IS A MATTER, OF COURSE, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL LOOK INTO WHEN IT UNDERTAKES THE REVIEW."

TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF OVERSEAS VOTING, MR TSAO STRESSED THAT HONG KONG'S ELECTORAL SYSTEM WAS BASED ON RESIDENCE RATHER THAN NATIONALITY CRITERIA.

"ANY PERSON OF ANY NATIONALITY WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDED IN HONG KONG IN THE DEFINITION OF AN ORDINARY RESIDENT WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE, " HE SAID.

"IF AN EX-HONG KONG RESIDENT WISHES TO VOTE, TO HONG KONG AND WOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO DO SO,

HE CAN COME BACK

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HE ADDED.

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INCLUSION OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION IN BALLOT PAPER

WILL CONFUSE VOTERS

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POLITICAL PARTIES IN HONG KONG ARE RELATIVELY NEW AND THE PUBLIC IS STILL UNFAMILIAR WITH EVEN THE NAMES OF EMERGING POLITICAL PARTIES LET ALONE THEIR POLITICAL PLATFORMS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS. THE HON PETER TSAO, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS RESPONDING TO A MOTION BY THE HON MARTIN LEE ΤΟ AMEND THE BALLOT FORM BY THE INCLUSION, AGAINST THE NAME OF THE CANDIDATE, HIS POLITICAL AFFILIATION DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTORAL PROVISIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1990.

WILL ALL THE VOTERS BE

"PUTTING IT IN A MORE GRAPHIC TERM, ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SAY, THE UNITED DEMOCRATS OF HONG KONG, THE HONG KONG DEMOCRATIC FOUNDATION, THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FEDERATION OF HONG KONG, THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD AND I CAN GO ON," HE SAID.

/HE WAS