PAS may have committed an offence by handing out cash to voters during the general election  

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki said a bribe is a bribe no matter how one chooses to describe it, adding that the Election Offences Act is clear on what constitutes vote-buying.

“Section 10(a) of the act is very clear and whatever layman terms used to defend an argument is mere personal interpretation. (Whether you call it) ‘sedekah’ (charity) or contribution, the law deems it a bribe paid to voters – regardless of whether the voters (asked for it),” he was quoted as saying in The Star.

Azam said section 10(a) of the act defines in detail acts of bribery before, during and after elections, adding that it did not matter whether the crime is committed directly or indirectly, meaning by the candidate himself or by a representative on his behalf.

Hadi has come under fire for insisting that he had not broken the law in handing out cash during an election campaign. He said this was because it was charity, not bribery.

It was a response to the filing of a petition alleging that bribery had taken place during the election campaign in Terengganu. 

The Umno member who filed the complaint said that money was paid to voters via the the i-Pension, i-Belia and i-Student programmes days before before the general election on November 19 last year.

The petition filed in the Kuala Terengganu High Court seeks to void the election results in Kuala Terengganu, Marang and Kemaman. 

The Perikatan Nasional coalition, to which PAS belongs, said it has strong evidence to refute the allegations. – January 24, 2023.