[UPDATED] Some Johor voters offered RM200 by parties to secure support, alleges Dr Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR – Pejuang’s miserable outing at the recent Johor election was because there were other parties practising money politics, said chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Yes, absolutely that was one of the reasons, one of the more important reasons of why we lost in Johor,” he said during a press conference at Yayasan Albukhary here.

He said his party had come across voters who outright questioned Pejuang election campaigners how much they would be paid for voting.

“This was not from one or to voters who we rang up. This was the response we got from a lot of people.

“They said that certain parties paid them RM200, but we do not have any money to give.”

Every one of Pejuang’s 42 candidates fielded in the recent Johor election lost.

All their candidates had also failed to secure the minimum 12.5% of the total number of votes from the constituencies, forcing them to forfeit some RM210,000 in Election Commission deposits alone.

Dr Mahathir said despite the losses, Pejuang members have chosen to focus on the positives, which were the 18,000-odd votes his party received despite only having around 5,000 party members in Johor.

He also attributed his party’s loss to the low voter turnout, saying some were afraid of certain action being taken against them if they voted for Pejuang.

When asked about strategic changes his party expects to employ, he said Pejuang remains optimistic about its chances when a higher voter turnout is recorded at any election.

“We believe there are many out there who are against corruption, so during a general election, the people who are against corruption should come out and vote for parties who are combating corruption.

“In other words they should vote for Pejuang.”

Additionally, when asked on his views of DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang’s decision to retire from active politics, Dr Mahathir said he still plans to remain active.

“That is his decision; I am not leaving Pejuang. Maybe I might not contest, but I cannot make a decision yet as I have to abide with my party and not just decide on my own.” – The Vibes, April 1, 2022