OFFERS of bribes from both Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional campaigners, as well as a case of threat are among the five offences recorded by electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 midway into the Cameron Highlands by-election.

With five more days left to polling day on Saturday, PH committed three offences while BN is responsible for two, said Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann yesterday.

PH representatives are allegedly involved in possible bribery, the use of threats and intimidation to get votes and abuse of government machinery. 

BN is involved in a case of possible bribery and for causing disharmony using either racial or religious rhetoric.

However, Fann said, he could not divulge details of the alleged offences until after polling day on Saturday, when the electoral watchdog releases its Pemantau full report of all the complaints submitted during the campaigning period.

Although the number of offences is lower than during previous by-elections after the 14th general election, there is concern over the emergence of offences, such as using threats and creating racial and religious disharmony, he said.

“So far, in terms of number of offences recorded by us, there is a reduction (compared with other by-elections) but there are still six days until polling day,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“However, offences like threat and creating disharmony are a concern. They did not feature in previous by-elections post-GE14.”

Four by-elections have taken place since the May 9 general election. Three were for state seats – Sg Kandis, Seri Setia and Balakong – while the fourth was the Port Dickson parliamentary seat.

The Cameron Highlands by-election was called after the election court in November annulled the results for the parliamentary seat in GE14, after finding the winner, BN’s C. Sivarraajh, guilty of vote-buying.

SIvarraajh was also disqualified from contesting in an election for five years.

Saturday’s by-election will see a four-cornered fight between Ramli Mohd Nor (BN), M. Manogaran (PH) and independents Sallehudin Ab Talib and Wong Seng Yee.

Earlier this month, Bersih committee member Alexzander Johnson told reporters that PH component leaders increased their visits to Pahang after the by-election was announced in December and ahead of nomination day on January 12.

Although they did not breach any existing law, their presence in their capacity as federal ministers and deputy ministers was wrong, in principle, he said.

Among the ministers who visited Cameron Highlands was Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke, however, defended the trip as related to his ministerial duties and nothing to do with the by-election.

Meanwhile, a photograph of a four-wheel drive owned by the Raub Forestry Department bearing a PH logo went viral. BN campaigners said the state-owned vehicle was used for campaigning purposes in Cameron Highlands.

BN’s Ramli then lodged a police report regarding the alleged abuse of the vehicle for campaigning purposes.

Fann said candidates and those involved in the election campaign should “strictly obey the election laws”.

“The enforcement agencies from Election Commission, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the police are monitoring the incidents and action will be taken.” – January 22, 2019.