The statement was made by Vu Mao, a member of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee after inspecting preparatory work for the upcoming NA election in HCM City on March 15.

By March 15, relevant agencies, units and organizations sent documents to nominate 35 candidates for the election. Over 80 self-nominated candidates registered for the election. Five were women, and 31 were businessmen. Twenty-seven were below the age of 40, thirty-three were from the age 40-50 and six were over the age of 60.

The same day, the city urgently implemented a decree on property declarations for candidates. Twenty-four candidates received property declarations forms within the day.

The inspection delegation also asked the city to provide information on the NA election to people, local and international organizations and overseas Vietnamese to ensure the success of the 12^th NA election.

* The same day, a working group led by Director of the NA Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu inspected preparations for the upcoming NA election in central Khanh Hoa province. The province has set up sub-committees to carry out election activities, organize rehearsals, provide legal documents on the election and nominate candidates for the election. It has also established election committees in three constituencies according to the relevant procedures and laws.

Mrs Thu urged the province to strengthen promulgation activities to help citizens understand rights and responsibilities of taking part in the election, and to ensure security before and after the event.

The working delegation noted the province’s recommendation that the election in Truong Sa Island districts takes place early and that more district and commune people’s council delegates come from newly-created districts. The recommendations will be submitted to the NA Standing Committee for approval.

By March 15, northern Dien Bien province’s Steering Board of the Fatherland Front received completed profiles of 10 candidates for NA deputies introduced by local orgnisations and units. The provincial Fatherland Front is actively collecting the opinions of voters in preparation for the second round of consultation, which will be held on March 20.

* Southern Tra Vinh province has promulgated election plans in Khmer ethnic minority villages and remote areas. Propaganda documents are printed in two languages – Khmer and Vietnamese. The province has organized a short training course for propagandists, most of whom are Khmer ethnic people. The provincial culture and information sector has developed propaganda plans on NA election in rural, remote and mountainous areas by diversified ways such as slogans, posters and propaganda information.

* The election committee of the Mekong province of Tien Giang reviewed preparations of the NA election on March 15. It has implemented many meetings to direct central and provincial documents and guides into each commune. It will guide communes to build a list of candidates in the near future.