NAJIB Razak, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Lim Guan Eng and Mohamed Azmin Ali were among those who had committed election offences during the May 9 polls, and they should be taken to court, said electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0.

These personalities either gave improper government handouts or used public resources in their campaigns, said Bersih executive director Yap Swee Seng.

He urged the Election Commission and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to prove they are truly independent in a new Malaysia, and place these people under investigation. 

Investigations should be initiated regardless of whether those who had violated the law are now in government, he said.

“The EC and MACC formed a task force to tackle bribery and political funding during the 14th general election. They should start investigations and submit the results of the probe to the attorney-general, so that proper action can be taken,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The four were named in a report on malpractices committed before and during the general election period. The report is part of Bersih’s Pemantau (observer) initiative, in collaboration with Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and Pusat Komas.

More than 1,100 coordinators and volunteers were involved in monitoring the elections, starting from the dissolution of Parliament on April 7 to polling day.

They reported 46 cases of bribery and vote-buying, 196 incidents of food and other gifts being presented to influence voters, 105 incidents of abuse of government machinery and 150 cases of government handouts from politicians after Parliament’s dissolution.

Some of these cases are offences under the Election Offences Act 1954.

BN wins

Barisan Nasional beat Pakatan Harapan in a number of the offences committed. Among the BN candidates, former pact chairman Najib, who was also caretaker prime minister then, committed the most offences, said the report.

Najib allegedly abused the largest sum of public funds when he announced that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid payout would be doubled if BN were returned to power.

“With no allocation for that in the federal budget, this was a clear abuse of power during the campaign period,” said the report.

Other BN leaders either misused government funds or are suspected of outright bribery.

Those suspected of the latter are Petaling Jaya Umno leader Abdul Mutalif Abdul Rahim, who allegedly offered RM3,000 to a workshop owner on April 10, and Sungai Petani candidate Shahanim Mohd Yusof, who gave voters envelopes filled with cash. She claimed that the money came from her senator’s allocation.

On multiple occasions, Sungai Besar candidate Jamal Md Yunos promised voters between RM1,000 and RM2,000 if BN won the seat.

PH candidates were also caught offering inducements to voters. Sungai Aceh’s Zulkifli Ibrahim gave personal donations to people displaced by a storm in Penang. Also in Penang, then chief minister Lim Guan Eng politicised a state government event by having children sing a song lampooning the goods and services tax.

Islamist party PAS was also guilty of making improper use of public resources in a Kelantan government event in Pahang.

The report said the events organised by the Kelantan and Penang governments were two of 105 instances of the state machinery being used for political campaigning.

Then Selangor menteri besar Azmin, meanwhile, is alleged to have handed out RM11.5 million in government funds meant for schools at a political event. 

Azmin was accompanied by Elizabeth Wong, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Ean Yong Hian Wah and Teng Chang Khim, caretaker executive councillors who were also election candidates.

“Any handouts of government aid announced before the dissolution of the legislature should be distributed by apolitical civil servants, not election candidates,” said the report.  

It said in conclusion, although both BN and PH were found guilty of misconduct, the bulk of the offences that took place was to give the incumbent government an unfair advantage.

“Despite all these malpractices, and despite the elections not being free and fair, it was the people who prevailed and voted BN out,” said acting Bersih chairman Shahrul Aman Mohd Saari. – July 14, 2018.