Criticism of the government’s policies allowed

NEC permits criticism during election campaigns

Four Major Rivers Restoration Project was at the centre of controversy in 2010 and the National Election Commission banned all kinds of public referring to it during election campaigns and even 180 days before the launch of campaigns. The Commission believed that just a mention of the Project could influence the election results.

However, individuals or NGOs are now able to express their opinions freely on any government policies before and during the campaigns. For instance, an individual or a NGO can carry a banner supporting or denouncing a particular issue.

Nevertheless, a mention for a particular politician or a particular party is still prohibited. In other words, it is all right to say “I support free school lunch” but not appropriate to say “I support Democratic United Party’s policy on free school lunch”.

The Commission issued a press release on 17 January and explained that they had the aim of maximally guaranteeing freedom of expression. Besides, voluntary fan club activities were guaranteed unless they were organized by parties or candidates.

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