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In a Mingguan Malaysia interview yesterday, the Election Commission Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman challenged the general perception that the Election Commission is not fair, independent and transparent in the discharge of its constitutional mandate to conduct elections.WHY is the Election Commission Chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, keeping totally silent with regard to flagrant disregard of the election law.
Is the Election Commission prepared to establish its independence, professionalism and commitment to its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and clean elections - by speaking out against the worst case of money politics in 50 years in the history of by-elections in Ijok?"
-Lim Kit Siang
How can the Election Commission claim to have conducted fair and transparent elections in the past and the present?
- Opposition parties NOT allowed to send polling agents to supervise the casting of postal ballots by members of the police and security forces to ensure free and fair casting of votes.
- The huge presence of “phantom” voters.
- Inability to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive electoral roll with the highest possible percentage of eligible voters on the electoral register as there are at present 4.9 million eligible but unregistered voters.
- Prohibit unfair, dishonest and one-sided media coverage, whether print , radio or television during the election campaigns, such as “below-the-belt” and unethical cartoons, write-ups, broadcasts and telecasts and the “fear and scare” advertisements against the Opposition.
- Prohibit money politics, not only by candidates but also by political parties.
- Prohibit abuse of government resources and funds during election campaigns.
- The short election campaign period which is invariably decided by the Prime Minister when he dissolved Parliament, when this should be the exclusive responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure a “free, fair and clean” election.
- The abuses by the “caretaker” government in allocating funds and giving election promises with regard to development projects, or abuses of power by Ministers of the “caretaker” government in misappropriating public funds for party election campaigning, such as travelling and other misuse of public resources.
Machap By-Election
The Alor Gajah District Officer, Hashim Ismail, who was the returning officer of the Machap by-election, yesterday revealed that RM30 million of development projects were poured into the constituency during the two-week campaign period.
With 9,623 voters in Machap, this worked out to RM3,000 of development benefits for each voter as a result of the by-election, although it will be worth a full investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency as to the “leakage” of the RM30 million development funds – as to what percentage actually reached the voters and not hijacked by cronies and proxies, whether it is 50%, 60%, 70% or higher.
However, this RM30 million channeling of development funds is not the sole item of expenditures for the Barisan Nasional candidate, as there were also expenses incurred by the candidate and the astronomical sums incurred by the Barisan Nasional and its component parties.
The election law limits the maximum expenditure permissible for a candidate in a state assembly election to RM100,000, which had been exceeded by easily some 400 fold in the Machap by-election.
The Ijok By-Election
The Ijok by-election is even worse in terms of money politics with the Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo announcing RM36 million for various development projects for the constituency even before nomination.
With the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak acting as Santa Claus announcing “freebies” all over the constituency everyday, the total development funds poured into Ijok may double if not treble Khir Toyo’s initial announcement.
Together with the monies poured in by the Barisan Nasional and its component parties in the by-election campaign, will the total expenditures on behalf of the BN candidate touch RM100 million – which would break by over 1,000 times the law limiting election expenditure to RM100,000?
But again the pertinent question is what percentage of such RM100 million would finally reach the voters and not hijacked halfway by cronies and proxies?
Why is the Election Commission Chairman keeping totally silent with regard to such flagrant disregard of the election law. Ask any person or even a student will know that this is money politics to buy votes except Rashid.
Is the Election Commission prepared to establish its independence, professionalism and commitment to its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and clean elections by speaking out against the worst case of money politics in 50 years in the history of by-elections in Ijok?
Commentary. Anwar's Campaign Call: Read here for more
...In nearby Bukit Badong late Saturday, about 2,000 people listened attentively to Anwar's hour-long speech centred on corruption, nepotism and poverty.
" We must declare war on poverty. But billions of dollars are being squandered away. Give a signal to the government that we want a change," he told the noisy crowd.
Anwar told the largely Muslim voters that corruption is rampant under the National Front, led by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).
"Where is the rule of law? There is only the rule of the jungle. UMNO uses its power in the name of Malays to exploit all of us," he said.
At a gathering Sunday night in a Chinese restaurant, Anwar vowed support for all the country's ethnic groups.
"I am a Malay leader but I will help all races to acquire economic wealth," Anwar said.
Some Muslim women stood up and cheered as he took to the podium in the packed restaurant.
"Now give us your vote," he urged them
The Candidates for the Ijok By-Election : April 28
Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate: Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim,
Age: 61
Born in Kampung Jalan Raja Abdullah, Jeram Batu 20, Kuala Selangor.
Education:
Jeram Malay School, English school in Kampung Kuantan,
Universiti Malaya (Economics degree),
University of Queensland (Masters in Business Administration)
* Joined Keadilan in 2006
* Treasurer-General of Keadilan
* Head of Keadilan Selangor Liaison Committee and Kuala Selangor Division
* Taught in schools and was a university lecturer before entering business
* CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (1979-1994)
* CEO of Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad (1995-2003)
* Chairman of Amanah Mellenia Fund Bhd
* Director for SIRIM Berhad
* Advisor to Islamic Development Bank.
* Institute for Strategic and International Studies fellow
* National Productivity Council member
* Honorary member of the Council of Business Advisors to the Asia Pacific Economic Council
Barisan Nasional candidate: K. PARTHIBAN,
Age: 39
Born in Ladang Raja Musa, Kuala Selangor
Occupation: Kuala Selangor District Education Officer
Education:
SJK (Tamil) Ladang Raja Musa, Kuala Selangor,
SM Sultan Sulaiman Shah, Batang Berjuntai,
Institut Batang Berjuntai, Maktab Perguruan Seri Kota, Kuala Lumpur,
Universiti Malaya - B.Sc (hons), M.Ed in Education Management
* MIC Tanjung Karang division secretary since 2002
* Special officer to Tanjung Karang MP since 2003
* Teacher (1994-2006) at SJK (T) Ghandiji, Tanjung Karang, SMK Seri Desa, Tanjung Karang and SMK Sultan Abdul Aziz, Kuala Selangor
Ijok electorate: 12,272 voters (51% Malays, 28% Indians and 21% Chinese)
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