'Unfair If Called-off Polls Leave Candidates Broke'
"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("
"); jQuery(document).ready(function() { jwplayer.key='EKOtdBrvhiKxeOU807UIF56TaHWapYjKnFiG7ipl3gw='; var playerInstance = jwplayer("jquery_jwplayer_1"); playerInstance.setup({ file: "https://newsstatic.rthk.hk/audios/mfile_1587119_1_20210422180621.mp3", skin: { url: location.href.split('/', 4).join('/') + '/jwplayer/skin/rthk/five.css', name: 'five' }, hlshtml: true, width: "100%", height: 30, wmode: 'transparent', primary: navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Trident")>-1 ? "flash" : "html5", events: { onPlay: function(event) { dcsMultiTrack('DCS.dcsuri', 'https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1587119-20210422.mp3', 'WT.ti', ' Audio at newsfeed', 'WT.cg_n', '#rthknews', 'WT.cg_s', 'Multimedia','WT.es','https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1587119-20210422.htm', 'DCS.dcsqry', '' ); } } }); }); });
2021-04-22 HKT 14:53
Lawmakers on Thursday expressed concern about proposed changes to election rules that will leave candidates out of pocket if a poll is called off because one of their opponents is disqualified or dies.
The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau told a Legco bills’ committee – which is discussing Beijing’s overhaul of the SAR’s electoral system – that under the new arrangements, subsidies for campaign expenses will only be paid out after voting has been completed.
However, the administration agreed to consider a request from Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Priscilla Leung to cover part of candidates’ expenses even when polls are cancelled before an election.
The bureau’s principal assistant secretary Cherie Yeung explained that they were unable to make payments before the election because the subsidy was calculated on a candidates’ share of the vote.
DAB lawmaker Horace Cheung said this wasn’t fair to other candidates, saying whether someone could claim back campaign expenses appeared to all boil down to luck.
Previous local elections were able to continue even in the event of a disqualification or death, because of the city’s use of a proportional representation voting system where a political party would submit a list of candidates.
However, future local elections will use a single non-transferable vote system with voters casting ballots for individual candidates.
Authorities had earlier explained that by-elections will be held if a candidate in local polls dies or gets disqualified half way through the election, because voters may not be happy with the remaining candidates.
How Core Modernisation Is Paving The Way For Invisible Banking
In an era dominated by digital innovation, the banking sector is evolving rapidly to meet the modern consumer’s deman... Read more
ZA Bank Financial Performance Shows Strong Growth, Reduced Losses Last Year
ZA Bank, a virtual bank in Hong Kong, has reported a substantial increase in its financial performance for the past yea... Read more
Elon Musk Impersonated In Suspected Quantum AI Crypto Fraud
The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has issued a public warning about suspected fraud involving the entity know... Read more
Why Hong Kong Is Primed For A Crypto ETF Breakthrough
In the dynamic landscape of global finance, Hong Kong has emerged as a frontrunner in innovative exchange-traded funds ... Read more
MixCare Health And Pacific Prime Collaborate On Digital Health Platform
MixCare Health, a Hong Kong-based digital health and wellness platform, has partnered with Pacific Prime, an internatio... Read more
Mox Bank Revenue Triples In 2023 Driven By New Services And Customer Growth
Mox Bank announced that it has tripled its revenue in 2023, driven by an increase in its customer base, deposits, and l... Read more