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The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:

The counting of votes for the Legislative Council election has successfully and smoothly completed around 5 pm today (Monday), the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, said.

Speaking at a press conference to wind up the election, Mr Justice Woo said that the count had been efficiently done and that improvements had been made after drawing experience from the Election Committee subsector elections held in April.

Commenting on the voter turnout rate, he said: "We've got a record turnout by way of number and by way of percentage, and it is something for which Hong Kong people should be proud of."

Noting that the elections have been run under the auspices of the Electoral Affairs Commission, he said: "I hope we have successfully ensured that the elections have been run fairly, openly and honestly, and that it can assure the world how people in Hong Kong supported the election."

About 1.49 million electors from five geographical constituencies voted in the Legislative Council election, representing 53.29 per cent of the electorate. In the functional constituencies, the figure was 77,813 or 63.5 per cent; while 790 out of the 800 members of the Election Committee voted.

End/Monday, May 25, 1998

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