27 May 2004 – The Department of Foreign Affairs today said that a recent allegation of irregularity in the overseas absentee voting (OAV) in Hong Kong could largely be because of a misunderstanding.

“The process is very new.  Although we tried our best to educate the voters, election volunteers, watchers and even political parties, clearly one of the lessons that we have learned in this instance is that for the next OAV, we need to launch an even more vigorous education campaign,” Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis, Chairman of the DFA OAV Secretariat, explained.

Undersecretary Seguis made this statement in response to the allegation of the Bangon Party that a video footage proved that election fraud was committed in Hong Kong.  The Bangon Party, through its spokesman Luis Sison, alleged that fraud was committed in one of the voting precincts in Hong Kong on the basis of a video footage showing an election officer inspecting an accomplished ballot before putting it in an envelope instead of dropping it in the ballot box.  Said footage also showed the said election officer cutting the ballot coupon from the ballot prior to inserting the ballot in the envelope.

“While we welcome the vigilance that has been shown by the political parties in the recent overseas absentee voting exercise, it is our hope that allegations of fraud are properly studied and understood before public accusations are made that not only besmirch the reputation of our OAV volunteers, who worked hard to ensure the success of this historic exercise, but also casts doubts on the conduct of the elections,” the Undersecretary said.

Saying that perhaps there is a need to explain the procedure more clearly, Undersecretary Seguis made the following clarifications:
 

                    1. Why did the election official unfold an accomplished ballot?  Did he do this to look at the names listed by the voter?

                    The accomplished ballot is folded into four sections.  On the first fold, is the signature of the SBEI     Chair.  This signature is on the back of the ballot. The election official is mandated to check if this signature is present.  The signature is part of the authentication procedure. To be able to look at the contents of the ballot, it would be necessary to completely unfold the ballot, something that was clearly not done.
 

                    2. Why did the election official cut the ballot?

                    At the bottom part of the ballot is a numbered coupon that is to be detached and placed in a separate section of the ballot box.  When the ballots are counted, this coupon will be matched to ensure that only the ballots cast, will be the ballots that will be counted.
 

                   3. Why didn’t the election officer place the ballot directly and immediately into the ballot box?

                    As required by the rules, ballots are not directly placed in the ballot box. Each accomplished ballot is to be placed in an envelope, which is to be sealed with an official individual paper seal, before being placed in the ballot box.  This was the procedure followed in this case.

“It was our understanding that this particular complaint was already addressed.  The incident occurred on 18 April 2004 and the matter was discussed with the Bangon Party watchers and other representatives of political parties.  The procedure was explained to them there and then,” the Undersecretary said.

The Undersecretary said that the Bangon Party is free to file any charges that it may deem necessary and expressed the hope that such charges are brought to the proper forum. END.