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

Following is the transcript of the English portion of a question and answer session given by the Chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, at the Press Centre in the Convention and Exhibition Centre after the completion of vote counting of the Legco election today (Monday):

Question: Mr Justice Woo, could you say what you think of these elections and how you think the rest of the world should view the elections in Hong Kong?

Mr Justice Woo: We have got a record turnout by way of number and by way of percentage and it is something of which we Hong Kong people should be proud. The elections, I think, have been run under the auspices of the Electoral Affairs Commission and we have ensured - I hope we have successfully ensured - that the elections are run fairly, openly and honestly, and that it can assure the world that, that is how our elections are conducted and how people in Hong Kong supported the election.

Question: Mr Justice Woo, have you noticed any shortcomings in the elections? I know there was some confusion about poll cards at the weekend. And also, are there any areas that need reconsidering?

Mr Justice Woo: About the poll cards, do you mean the poll cards sent to the electors before the election? I think some of the poll cards were missing. Some of the poll cards were missing and we are trying to find out the reason why. And of course mainly, we would rely on the electors' complaints, in fact, to find out the reasons. We do not know the exact reasons. I have read newspaper clippings, that some of the poll-cards were stolen. And that is, perhaps, people like the commemorative card contained in the envelope containing the poll cards.

Question: Mr Justice Woo, how long will you - the EAC - continue to exist or continue to operate? How do you estimate that your Commission is going to exist?

Mr Justice Woo: Our Commission has been appointed for three years, for a three-year period, from 29 September 1997 and our commission will expire on 28 September in the year 2000. We are still kicking around; we are still there.

Question: Mr Justice Woo, I think everyone has been really impressed by how passionate you have been in promoting these elections. But there have been some comments that your role seems to be becoming increasingly politicised and that there is an element of taking sides, of maybe crossing the barrier. What would you say to those kinds of comments?

Mr Justice Woo: Those are unfair comments. First, I have never taken sides. I have never participated in any political activity. I have never been seen to participate in any political activity. What I have done is that when people said that our voting system and our electoral system is complicated - by frightening people off the polls - I defended it. And that has been the position I have been taking and that will be the position that I shall be taking in the future. And because of that defence, I was embroiled in controversy. But that is not political controversy. That may be arguments in words and that was all.

Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.

End/Monday, May 25, 1998

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