Allegations of vote-buying have surfaced in Merlimau, with DAP Kota Melaka parliamentarian Sim Tong Him claiming that it happened within 200 metres from the SRJK (C) Merlimau polling station.

NONE According to Sim, who lodged a police report soon after, he had seen a group of people handing out cash of RM100 per person to Chinese voters at a footpath.

Speaking to Malaysiakini , Sim said he recognised one man in the group of people as an MCA local councilor, although the man in question had his back to Sim.

“(Some reporters and I) were able to get a closer look at them, from about five feet away, and I clearly saw a Malay man holding RM50 notes that were about three inches thick, and giving it out to voters,” he said.

NONE Sim ( left ) said that a press photographer then started to take photos, alerting the group who later surrounded them, demanding that the photographs be deleted.

“One man said that if we refused to delete the photographs, then we cannot blame them if anything happens to us,” he said, adding that the group was rather aggressive.

“The whole incident only took a few minutes. The photographer was reluctant to delete the photographs but I insisted as I did not want any harm to befall us,” he said.

NONE He added that one the Malay men shouted “call Datuk Mat” upon realising that they were caught red-handed, but Sim does not know who the man was referring to.

It is understood that the photographer has managed to retrieve some of the photographs but none of them show cash changing hands.

When word got around of the alleged incident, Pakatan supporters stationed at SRJK (C) Merlimau seemed reinvigorated.

Waving suggestively RM10 notes in the air, they jeered at the BN supporters across the road.