Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Committee (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong said yesterday his committee had decided not to postpone the September 17 polling day in spite of the devastation caused by Typhoon Hato last week, after evaluating various factors.
Tong made the remarks after reporters had asked him about the matter.
The direct and indirect legislative elections are scheduled to take place on September 17 while the official campaign period runs from Saturday to September 15.
Speaking to reporters after a regular meeting of the government-appointed body at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo, Tong, a judge by profession, said even though some of the polling stations were damaged when Hato hammered Macau last Wednesday, the damage could be repaired before polling day.
Pointing out many legal procedures will need to be carried out right after the elections, Tong warned that if the original polling day is delayed, the move could affect the incoming legislature’s operation.
Citing the Legislative Assembly Election Law, Tong said if a natural disaster happens on polling day, the chief executive would have to choose another day for the ballot. He said the new polling day would have to be held within 30 days after the previously scheduled election day.
It is customary in Macau that elections take place on a Sunday.
Committee tells weekly to delete candidate’s interview
Meanwhile, when asked by a reporter why the committee had ordered Plataforma Macau, a Chinese- and Portuguese-language weekly, to delete an interview with José Luís Pedruco Achiam, the 12th ranked candidate on lawmaker Angela Leong On Kei’s list, from its website, Tong said: “I believe that you will understand the difference between news reporting and campaigning if you have read that article.”
The interview was published on August 18 in the weekly’s print issue and also appeared in its online edition.
“The contents of that article explicitly points out his [group’s] political platform and asks for registered voters’ support...Apparently, it is an illegal campaign activity,” Tong said.
Tong said his committee had immediately passed the case to the police for follow-up action after noticing the article. The weekly has meanwhile removed the interview from its website.
However, the article could still be read on issuu, a free online publishing platform for magazines and newspapers, before Tong’s briefing yesterday. Asked how the committee would handle it, Tong said his committee would follow up on the matter.
Stressing that his committee respects freedom of the press, Tong said his committee needed to tell the media to remove this kind of article to ensure the upcoming elections’ fairness. Electioneering before the official campaign start on September 2 is illegal.
According to Tong, Pedruco Achiam faces a fine ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 patacas.
Asked by reporters if the weekly would also face a fine, Tong said “no”, shaking his head.
Legislative Assembly Electoral Affairs Committee (CAEAL) President Tong Hio Fong (front) speaks to reporters yesterday after a regular meeting of the government-appointed body, as fellow committee members Kou Peng Kuan (first from left), Lai U Hou (second from left), Jose Fonseca Tavares (second from right) and Iong Kong Leong (first from right) look on, at the Public Administration Building in Rua do Campo. Photo: Debby Seng
