A preliminary revision of the legislature election law would be completed by this year, said the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan. This move aims to further improve competitiveness of indirect election and fairness when electing members of the Legislative Assembly. Ms Chan told reporters on 20 July that the Government would take into consideration the recent case that two defendants had been found guilty of bribery in 2013 legislature election, when drafting amendments to the electoral law. She said the Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau was analysing the conclusion report compiled by the Electoral Affairs Commission for the fifth Legislative Assembly; and the result would be the ground for amendments. On co-operation of legal assistance with the mainland and Hong Kong, Ms Chan said she hoped the proposal would be endorsed by this year. The Government had drafted a bill for regional co-operation on legal and criminal issues, but it had to be dealt cautiously as it covered arrangements with the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said Ms Chan. She said she would strive to deliver the bill to the legislature within this year and would commence the discussion with Taiwan in the near future. When asked, she said the Government had not yet decided the arrangement for the surrender of political criminals and of fugitive offenders, stressing the strict adherence of “one country, two systems” was the principle to follow in regional co-operation of legal affairs.
