With less than two days before voting for the Teluk Intan by-election begins, the BN has been ticked off for giving out free food hampers to some 100 people at an event yesterday evening.

DAP's Bukit Gasing assemblyperson R Rajiv, who said he received a tip-off and went to check, claimed he saw BN candidate Mah Siew Keong present at the function held on Jalan Bomba.

"About 100 people were lining up for the hampers, and Mah was standing there and shaking hands with the people.

"This is a form of bribery," Rajiv told a press conference at DAP's main by-election operations centre today.

Rajiv added that he also heard the master of ceremonies at the event openly urging the attendees to vote for Mah.

The journalists were shown photographs and the video that Rajiv recorded at the scene.

DAP lodged a police report on the matter at 12.14pm today.

Meanwhile, Pasir Bedamar assemblyperson Terence Naidu explained that, according to the Election Offences Act 1954, every person who directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf offers gifts, would be considered to be committing a violation.

“So, even if the candidate does not hand over the gifts to others, he shall be deemed as committing an act of bribery,” he said.

Mah: Go on, report to EC

Meanwhile, replying to SMS by Malaysiakini , Mah said the event was organised by Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (PNS), and he did not give out a single thing at that time.

“Once I saw the hampers, I distanced myself. Please make a report to the Election Commission to determine the truth,” he said.

At a press conference later, Mah repeated his call to DAP to report the matter if they felt it was wrong.

On Sunday, Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel).and Bersih both commented on the use of government machinery for campaigning, noting it was against election laws.