UMNO has no moral standing to accuse PAS of bribing voters as the Malay nationalist party is known for doing it all the time, PAS information chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin hinted at in a statement.

He said this in defence of PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who is being attacked by other parties for saying his party handed out monies to voters as charity in the last general election.

“PAS has never practised any form of money politics or bribery of voters, compared with other parties that are known for the practice of money politics whether in party or general elections, and ‘the party’ has no moral legitimacy to raise this matter,” Khairil said.

Although he did not name “the party” as Umno, Khairil was referring to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s statement yesterday.

Zahid said PAS is being hypocritical over its dishing out money to voters and calling it charity, but accused Umno of being corrupt when Umno gave away money.

Khairil said PAS has never practised corruption and that the perpetrator who gave away money during the general election had no connection with the party 

“Public contribution, it has nothing to do with the candidate, the candidate’s representative, or PAS as a party,” he said in the statement published by his party on HarakahDaily. 

He also reiterated Hadi’s statement that the election rules only restrict the act of vote buying on candidates or representatives. 

“But if there are individuals or members of the public who want to donate, it’s up to them,” he added.

Hadi was criticised by other parties due to his statement that giving out cash during an election campaign does not violate election laws because it is an act of charity. 

His Saturday statement was in response to Umno filing a petition regarding alleged bribery during the election campaign in Terengganu. 

The bribe was allegedly made by distributing money through the i-Pension, i-Belia and i-Student programmes from November 15 to 17, 2022, a few days before the general election.

A petition was filed by Terengganu Umno on January 3 to void the election results in Kuala Terengganu, Marang and Kemaman. 

The petition filed in the Kuala Terengganu High Court was in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954, according to the Terengganu Umno chairman. 

Perikatan Nasional, of which PAS is part, claimed to have strong evidence to deny allegations that the coalition bribed voters. – January 22, 2023.