Radio warning for Legco hopefuls

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority yesterday warned Legislative Council candidates against attending election forums held by an illegal broadcaster, five days before an event organised by the unlicensed Citizens' Radio.

In a statement yesterday, the authority said it was a criminal offence to deliver messages through illegal radio broadcasts.

Noting that some candidates in the May 16 by-election had been invited to a forum to be delivered through 'illegal radio broadcasting', an Ofta spokesman said: 'We would like to remind the public, whether they are election candidates or not, that under section 23 of the Telecommunications Ordinance, any person who knowingly participates in the delivery of messages through unlicensed radio transmitters commits a criminal offence and is liable to a maximum penalty of HK$50,000 upon conviction.'

Citizens' Radio plans to organise a forum for each of the five constituencies. The five 90-minute shows will be broadcast from next Monday to Friday on FM102.8.

By yesterday afternoon, eight candidates - five from the youth group Tertiary 2012, Wong Yuk-man and 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung from the League of Social Democrats and independent David Lee Chun-hung, had confirmed with the station that they would attend.

'As long as there is a candidate coming, our forum will go ahead,' station convenor Tsang Kin-shing said.