A Chinese politician, Zhao Linzhong has called for SMS voting to be banned as it "breeds corruption". He said that such activities are serious in nature and affect the morality of the people.
"In some places voting through text messages is even used to choose local famous brands or model workers," Zhao Linzhong, a deputy to the 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), the national legislature of China has said.
Some candidates hire people to vote that help the richer win and deprive the poor of a chance to get elected, Zhao added.
Some local government offices are also involved in some contests that require voting by text messages. Those eager to win could lavish public money, while corruption could occur among organisers of the voting, the politican stressed.
Zhao called on the government to limit or ban the text message voting practice, and is expected to raise the matter at the first annual full session of the 11th NPC, which is scheduled to start this week.
Posted to the site on 4th March 2008
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