PKR will not utilise government machinery during the upcoming Rantau by-election, said party president Anwar Ibrahim. 

“We will not use this to garner votes,” he said at a press conference after nominations for the by-election were completed in Sendayan today. 

He said this in response to a question regarding Bersih’s complaint that PKR’s Miri MP Michael Teo had committed an election offence by distributing food coupons to Rantau school children on Thursday.

He added that it was Bersih’s opinion and he would leave the matter to the discretion of the Election Commission (EC). 

He then turned the question back to Bersih, asking why they did not point out allegations that Umno had given money to voters during house-to-house visits as a possible offence too.

According to EC, Teo’s handouts were considered to be “treating” under the Election Offences Act.

However, EC deputy chief Azmi Sharom said Teo’s actions fall in a legal grey area, as the law does not clearly define what constitutes as “before” an election.

“This activity can be considered treating. Section 8 of the Election Offences Act says you can’t treat before, during, and after an election.

“The issue here is whether it’s ‘before’ because it is not defined,” Azmi was reported as saying. 

On Thursday, Teo had handed out food coupons, worth RM75,000 in total, to 300 school children in Rantau.

Meanwhile, Anwar said that PKR’s campaign will be people-centric to see what can be done for the people of Rantau. 

The Rantau by-election is a four-corned fight between PKR’s Dr S. Streram, Umno acting president Mohamad Hasan, and independent candidates Malar Rajaram and Mohd Nor Yassin. – March 30, 2019.