Set Viet Election Rules

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31439, 4 August 1967, Page 9

Set Viet Election Rules

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SAIGON, August 3. Almost every detail —down to the number of minutes each candidate can speak—comes under the regulations for South Vietnam’s Presidential election, the Associated Press reports.

The campaign officially begins today, giving candidates exactly a month to woo the voters.

So far, the election has

generated little excitement, even among the candidates. The most prominent ticket, headed by the Chief of State, General Nguyen Van Thieu with the Prime Minister, Air Vice-Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky indicates it will not cam. paign strongly. The Central Election Committee has scheduled plane trips to 22 places in the same number of days for all candidates. Candidates, or their representatives, will appear in a predetermined order at each of the spots and give a speech of a set length. A spokesman said General Thieu would go to only about two of the places, one of

them in Saigon, to campaign personally. Air Vice-Marshal Ky’s spokesmen say he will “concentrate on his job as Prime Minister.”

A representative will appear for the Thieu-Ky ticket on the other occasions.

The two leading civilian candidates, both in their sixties, will let representatives do most of the travelling. “I am too old to do any travelling,” says Mr Tran Van Huong. Mr Phan Khac Suu, who has served as Chairman of the Provisional Assembly, has also indicated he will do most of his campaigning from Saigon. Other candidates will speak only in the 22 largest cities. No-one will campaign personally in smaller cities or in thousands of villages and hamlets.

Thus only a very small percentage of South Vietnam’s 5.4 million registered voters will see the candidates. Many will see the names for the first time when they get ballots on election day, September 3.

It probably would be hard to convince many Vietnamese that the election is not rigged. Typical voters say General Thieu and Air ViceMarshal Ky have the Government apparatus behind them —the police to put pressure on voters and the Army to get the people to the polls. Even Manner But outwardly at least, campaigning will be done in a scrupulously even manner. In addition to the plane trips, each presidential candidate will have three appearances on television—once for 10 minutes and twice for 15 minutes. Three talks of five 10 and 15 minutes will be allowed each candidate on the national radio network.

Two news conferences, on August 15 and August 31, will allow each candidate 20 minutes to answer questions.

They may see the press at other -times, but never in public places or Government offices.

To support the campaign in general, the Government will spend about 60 million piastres. About one-quarter of this will be spent on 55 million leaflets and 550,000 posters, all of uniform size. The rest will go on newspaper advertisements, campaign personnel and other expenses. The amount each ticket may spend on its own is not limited. But the lack of enthusiasm shown so far indicates little personal money will be spent. Every controversial candidate—including the exiled Lieutenant • General Duong Van Minh and the “peace” candidate, Mr Au Truong Thanh—has already been eliminated from the race by the Provisional Assembly.