In response to media enquiries, a Government spokesman said today (November 15) that relevant government departments and the Electoral Affairs Commission are now moving full steam ahead and devoting their utmost effort to preparing for the 2019 District Council Ordinary Election (DCOE) to be held on November 24, with a view to making the election be held as planned in a safe and orderly manner.
"The DCOE is an important platform for more than four million registered electors to exercise their voting right and elect the District Council members who can represent them. The Government is making the greatest effort in organising a decent election and in ensuring that it be held smoothly in accordance with the law," the Government spokesman said.
However, recent violent and illegal attacks have kept escalating, and arsons, throwing petrol bombs, vandalising public transport facilities, blocking major trunk roads, breaching public peace, posing threats to life, etc, are prevalent. All these have posed tremendous challenges to the work of protecting the personal safety of candidates, electors, and electoral staff, as well as ensuring the on-time arrival of electoral staff at polling stations, and smoothly carrying out the work of voting and vote-counting.
The Government spokesman severely condemns those reckless behaviours that endanger public interests and deprive the rights of the others. "The Government sincerely calls on all members of the public, regardless of their backgrounds or political inclination, to say 'no' to violence together. We also strongly urge protesters to stop all violent acts so as to resume peace to society and enable the 4.13 million electors to cast their votes to elect their representatives safely on November 24," said the Government spokesman.
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