MIRI – Bersih Sarawak has called upon the Election Commission (EC) to investigate alleged instances of misappropriation of government resources in the state contest by ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
The electoral watchdog’s Sarawak chairman Ann Teo said Bersih had discovered such possible cases during its inspection rounds.
“We deployed our personnel in teams throughout the state. We sent them to attend events and gatherings organised by the contesting parties.
“We found widespread use of government money, resources of manpower and vehicles and projects by the candidates from ruling parties.
“Even the caretaker chief minister, who is the GPS chairman, had used government resources to his advantage,” Teo said in a statement.
Many GPS candidates, she claimed, had allegedly handed out allocations to the public while approving large projects.
Caretaker governments, the activist added, are not allowed to simply utilise government finances and assets in such a manner.
The Sarawak polls will take place on December 18.
Teo noted that yesterday, caretaker Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg went to Gedong and announced that he and the GPS government will declare it a district soon.
“Johari is the GPS candidate for Gedong,” she noted.
“By using his caretaker chief minister’s position to declare Gedong as a district, he is basically campaigning for his benefit.
“Johari also announced a big airport project in Betong and set up a boutique airline,” Teo said.
The Betong parliamentary constituency where the airport is being built is under MP Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas, who is also defending the Bukit Saban seat there.
“The same has been happening with those GPS candidates now who were holding ministerial posts and assistant minister posts. They too have gone around carrying out groundbreaking ceremonies, signing memoranda of understanding, and announcing allocations freely.
“They are conducting themselves as if they are still holding onto their government posts,” she exclaimed.
Teo said there are international conventions on how a caretaker government can function.
However, she said, it seems in Malaysia and Sarawak that the ruling governments are ignoring all these codes of election conduct.
Teo said if such unhealthy election practices go unchecked, the image of public elections will be tainted.
Bersih Sarawak has called for immediate action by the relevant authorities, especially the Election Commission to clamp down on such improper practices. – The Vibes, December 13, 2021
