'Loophole' plug in the works to boost voter numbers

Extra-curricular activities could be held at schools that are not used as district council polling stations next month, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai says.

The administration had designated December 11, the day after the polls, as a school holiday. That prompted concerns the long weekend could affect the turnout as parents may take their children on vacations outside Hong Kong.

Speaking in a Legislative Council subcommittee meeting yesterday on improving arrangements for elections, Tsang said the holiday designation was made after the 2019 district council elections so schools' normal operations would not be affected.

"But I have also heard there are worries the long weekend will prompt parents to take children to trips outside Hong Kong and will not cast ballots," Tsang said.

"We're planning to hold extra-curricular activities for students on the day after the polls, especially in schools that are unaffected by the elections."

The Education Bureau, now in talks with officials from Tsang's bureau, will announce details in due course. But education officials have yet to come up with a concrete plan.

Melody Chau, a mother of secondary one and primary five daughters, said she is still unsure whether she will vote in the election as she has yet to read a manifesto of any candidate from her district.

"But I am definitely not going to take my family on an overseas trip as both my daughters will be in the run-up to their mid-term examinations and will be too busy," she said.

In the same meeting Tsang said two "near-boundary polling stations" will be set up to help voters currently living and working across the border to cast their ballots.

The stations will be set up at two schools near Sheung Shui MTR station - the Hong Kong Taoist Association Tang Hin Memorial Secondary School and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kap Yan Directors' College.

Tsang said voters in the mainland from any of 44 geographical constituencies can cast ballots in these polling stations after registering for one of the 38,000 places in quotas.

Administration officials will be flexible to help voters cast their ballots in the two borderland stations, he added.

But Federation of Trade Unions legislators Bill Tang Ka-piu cited worries that people might not know that they need to register before being allowed to cast their ballot in the two polling stations.

"I would like to remind the government to be accurate in their promotions to avoid any confusion," he said.

Social welfare sector legislator Tik Chi-yuen questioned the nomination system as favoring a political party's interest over the public interest.

But Tsang said: "Under the new nomination system candidates will find it more challenging to obtain nominations, which is natural, and shows that the mechanism is playing the role it is supposed to.

"People who blame their failure on the system will never be able to improve."

Separately, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said a new committee will be set up to check district councillors on any supposed failure to perform their duties diligently.

"There is a lack of monitoring mechanisms in 'Western-style democracies' after the election in which voters may cast ballots after listening to candidates' misleading programs and candidates fail to deliver on promises," Mak said.

"People should also monitor the elected councillors and report any misconduct to district officers, and an investigation committee will be set up to probe any cases."

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com