KUALA LUMPUR – R.S.N. Rayer (Jelutong-PH) asked in Parliament today why Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders have been able to evade investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over alleged vote-buying during the last general election.
When addressing the lower House during his debate on the royal address, the DAP lawmaker pointed to the supposed admission of possible wrongdoing by opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin (Larut-PN) himself.
“Recently, there was an admission by the (opposition) saying the most important element in cash handouts is the intention. This statement was made by the former home minister, YB Larut.
“I would like to ask the MACC why is it that Larut and Marang (PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang), who had made clear admission as per reported in the media, have not been summoned for investigation to date?” he said.
Rayer also cited a video posted in November by former Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa who alleged that former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh-PN) had given him tens of millions of ringgit to aid Umno in the Sabah election in 2020.
“The rakyat is asking, are the funds siphoned by certain quarters and used during the elections the same one with the RM92.5 billion allocated to address issues related to Covid-19 that are being probed by the MACC?
“I’m taking this opportunity to urge the MACC to probe (into allegations of vote-buying). Why aren’t Pagoh, Marang and Pasir Mas (PN Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari) called in for investigation?”
Last month, Hamzah, who is PN secretary-general, had said that in determining whether handouts during elections were right or wrong, the intention is key.
This came after Hadi defended the practice of giving out cash to supporters during the 15th general election as an act of charity, adding that the alms distributed were courtesy of public donations and not directly from candidates.
Hadi’s statement followed election petitions filed by Barisan Nasional for three parliamentary constituencies alleging vote-buying during the campaigning period – including for the Marang seat held by the PAS president.
The two other seats are Kuala Terengganu, won by Datuk Ahmad Amzad Hashim, and Kemaman, currently held by Che Alias Hamid. Both are PAS lawmakers.
Rayer noted that a similar case of vote-buying in the 2018 general election had resulted in the then Cameron Highlands MP Datuk C. Sivarraajh being stripped of his membership in the Dewan Rakyat after the election court declared his victory as null and void.
“The court found that his supporters had given money to voters during the election. There was proof that cash was handed out, not by him, but by supporters.” – The Vibes, February 21, 2023
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