Monitor scheme to give people more say

Staff reporters

The 4.3 million voters will have a "bigger say" after the administration introduces a monitoring mechanism on district councillors despite directly elected seats being slashed, says Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen.

Details of the mechanism will be announced before the councillors take office on January 1 after the district council elections on December 10.

Speaking to Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard, Mak said voters will have a bigger say than before the revamp, which slashed directly elected seats to 88 from 452.

"There were councillors who had opened an office but the office was never opened for business," Mak said.

"After the introduction of the mechanism, people will have a bigger say. They not only have a say in the election, but also still have a say after the councillors take office."

The mechanism will include a "negative behavior list" and requirements regarding how the councillors carry out their job, she said.

Obstructing a district council meeting, insulting other councillors, obstructing others from attending or leaving council meetings and failing to declare their conflict of interest are part of the negative behavior list, according to Mak.

"They will also have to do their job in consulting citizens as well as serving them, which will include opening a district councillor's office, and they also cannot employ an assistant for them to open letters for them."

Asked whether the administration will request district councillors to hold consultation sessions to collect opinions, she said the administration will not only do so during the enactment of Basic Law Article 23 but also on other policies. She added: "We will also ask district councillors to hold consultation sessions on various policies that are related to people's well-being, which includes the municipal solid waste charging."

Mak, formerly a district councillor and lawmaker, said it will be challenging to campaign now, as candidates will have to battle it out with their manifesto.

"In the past, we only needed to get around 1,000 to 2,000 votes in order to get elected," said Mak.

But candidates now need to start preparation earlier, as their constituencies got bigger, she said.

"Overlapping voices with opponents and covering up competitors' posters happened regularly between candidates in the past, as arguments usually attracted more eyeballs," she said.

"But it will never be the case anymore.

"People will now look for district councillors who are responsible and fulfill their duties, and will reflect their opinions."

She sidestepped questions on whether the administration will appoint candidates back into district councils after they lose, while denying that the government has a "figure" for the turnout, which is expected to be low.

"When there is stability in society, no one wants to cast their ballot, they will not even bother to register as a voter," Mak said.