The Prosecutor-General of the Public Prosecutions Office, Mr Ho Chio Meng, has encouraged voters to exercise their civic right by voting in today's Legislative Assembly election. Mr Ho, who cast his ballot this morning, described today's polls as an important event in Macao's democratic and political life. Commenting on the case of voters allegedly photographing their ballot forms with mobile phones, the Prosecutor-General reminded voters to abide by the law and the election guidelines issued by the Electoral Affairs Committee. Mr Ho stressed that any violation of the electoral law would not only be a criminal offence, but would also undermine the spirit of democracy and the rule of law. He told reporters that the Public Prosecutions Office had so far formally received one report of alleged bribing connected with the fifth Legislative Assembly election. He added that a prima facie has been established, as earlier announced by the Commission Against Corruption, and therefore it had been returned to the Commission for further investigation. According to Mr Ho, the Public Prosecutions Office had received some reports of vote-rigging, jumping the gun on election campaigning, as well as libel and slander in connection with the present election. But less than 10 of these allege vote-buying. He re-iterated that vote-buying is a serious criminal offence which carries an eight years maximum jail term, and highlighted that the Public Prosecutions Office would take timely and forceful action to prosecute offenders. He added that the current electoral law merely penalises the persons involved in vote buying while the candidate for whom the vote is being bought is not affected at all. He said he believed the law should be amended in line with social developments and that his Office would suggest a proposal to amend the law's revision following on the present investigations.
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