The Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEL) held a briefing session yesterday evening at the Macau Science Centre in Nape to clarify the candidature procedures for the upcoming direct and indirect elections for the eighth Legislative Assembly (AL), during which CAEAL President Seng Ioi Man reminded the public that each voter can only endorse one candidacy nomination form; otherwise their signatures will be deemed invalid.
The Legislative Assembly polling has been slated for September 14 this year. Individuals interested in organising their nominating committee must complete and submit their confirmation application form to the CAEL by June 6 at the latest, to confirm their legal capacity. They must also submit the list of candidates and their platforms, along with a signed declaration affirming support for the Macau Basic Law and loyalty to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR), by June 26 at the latest.
According to Seng, the briefing session held yesterday aimed to deepen the understanding of the new election law among the general electorate, especially those interested in organising nominating committees and running for election. The election law, which was amended last April, enshrines the principle of “patriots governing Macau” by establishing mechanisms to ensure the smooth operation of the qualification review process, while also strengthening measures to curb violations and optimise the election process.
He stressed that the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections are the first elections since the amendment of the law, making them highly significant.
Seng reminded that no election campaigns are allowed before August 30 and after September 12, as violations will incur corresponding penalties to ensure the fairness of the election. He cited the amended election law as stating that violations also include the improper publication of opinion poll results, promotional activities through commercial advertisements, and openly inciting people not to vote or to cast blank or invalid ballots.
The nearly 1½ hour briefing session was attended by over 200 members of the public. The event’s Q&A session was conducted by drawing lots.
In the Q&A session lasting less than half an hour, Seng emphasised that any breach of the election law in the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin would incur the same penalties, saying that there is a permanent and effective mechanism in place to address unlawful acts, even if they occur outside the special administrative region.
He noted that candidates who held honorary positions in civil organisations, consortia and corporations in the past year, and who plan to organise non-election campaign activities providing benefits to their members, such as meals, trips, entertainment, allowances or gifts, during the period from the 15th day before the election day are required to file a written declaration on the 18th day before the election for public scrutiny and monitoring by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC).
Seng reaffirmed that publicity materials must avoid the distribution of tokens during the campaign, such as packets of tea leaves and power banks. He suggested that appropriate electioneering publicity materials could include leaflets, handheld flags, tissue paper, non-electric paddle fans, and bottled water, adding that the CEAL, in conjunction with the CCAC, was studying the issue of publicity materials and would inform the candidates in due course.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Against Corruption (CCAC) Wong Kim Fong emphasised that the anti-graft body will pro-actively combat any acts of election bribery, including the exchange of benefits for votes, attempts to alter others’ voting intentions and all “significant” actions aiming to induce voters to act inappropriately during the election process: “Both the candidate and the voter who accepts benefits while endorsing the nomination committee commits the offence of election bribery”. He added that the CCAC has launched a range of monitoring work in accordance with the powers and functions conferred on it by the Legislative Assembly Election Law.
Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEL) members, including its president Seng Ioi Man (third from left) and Deputy Commissioner Against Corruption (CCAC) Wong Kim Fong (third from right), address yesterday evening’s briefing session about the candidature procedures for the upcoming direct and indirect elections for the eighth Legislative Assembly (AL) of the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR). – Photo: MPDG
