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In response to allegations that the functional constituency system allows big corporations to enjoy multiple votes at elections to the HKSAR legislature, a Government spokesman said that, "There is no question of any person or company having more than one vote in any functional constituency (FC) in an election. Neither can any person or any company be represented in more than one FC."

It has been alleged that many companies in Hong Kong have set up subsidiaries, many of which have voting right, thereby enabling big corporations to control multiple votes at elections.

The Government spokesman said that, "The reference to subsidiaries is a red herring because each subsidiary company is a separate legal entity, with a distinct and separate identity. It is a common practice for companies in Hong Kong or elsewhere to set up subsidiaries to meet their own business needs. There is no evidence at all to suggest that companies or subsidiaries have been set up solely to secure multiple voting right."

The Legislative Council Ordinance requires a corporate member to have been operating for at least one year before application for registration as an elector. Besides, all corporate and individual electors who derive their voter eligibility from membership of representative bodies are required to meet a "one-year rule".

"This is to ensure that the voting right goes to electors who have bona fide connection with the FCs concerned," the spokesman explained.

"Another safeguard in our electoral system against big corporations controlling multiple votes is that corporate voters can only vote through their authorised representatives, who have to meet stringent qualifications," the spokesman said. "In particular, an authorised representative may not be appointed by more than one corporate elector. If a person is already registered as an individual elector in an FC, he cannot be appointed as an authorised representative in that FC," the spokesman explained.

"And finally, there is the secret ballot - all authorised representatives have to vote in the privacy of the voting booth," the spokesman said.

"The functional constituency system ensures that important sectors which have made significant contribution to the community are duly represented in the legislature. It is a transitional arrangement towards the ultimate aim of electing all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage," the spokesman added.

End/Monday, December 14, 1998

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