Barisan Nasional is going the unscrupulous route by dangling multi-million ringgit ‘carrots’ in front of the Sibu's electorate in the run up to the constituency’s parliamentary by-election this Saturday, said an NGO.

Sibu Election Watch (SEW) claimed that the ruling coalition is using government-sanctioned functions to buy votes and is wantonly abusing government machinery and allocations.

"They have used their official position to host various functions and give out allocations. This is tantamount to the offence of bribery under the Elections Act," SEW coordinator Wong Meng Chuo ( centre in pix below ) told a press conference in Sibu today.

NONE Wong said the BN government's announcement of a RM15 million allocation for Chinese schools in Sibu and its promise of another RM600 million to fix the town's flood problem are clear examples of abuse by the ruling coalition.

He added that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had used official government facilities and buildings on nomination day and for campaigning.

SEW member Ong Boon Keong ( left in pix above ) accused Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud of bribing the electorate by announcing a RM600 ‘gift’ for every household during a visit to a longhouse in Penansu yesterday.

Wong also noted that Pakatan Rakyat had also infringed election rules by providing food to attract voters at some longhouses.

At a separate press conference, DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua claimed that BN's avarice will continue so long as the people allow it to stay in power.

He said if the Sibu electorate choose to retain BN, their decision will pave the way for the implementation of the controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST) which will bump up the price of everyday goods and services by at least 4 percent.

‘Land alienated to Taib’s family’

Meanwhile, DAP's Sibu by-election campaign manager Chong Chieng Jen said BN has failed to implement fair and equitable wealth distribution, particularly in Sarawak where he alleged there were questionable business practices by Abdul Taib and his family.

Chong accused the chief minister's family company of acquiring large tracts of land under dormant companies while the common man-on-the-street could not even get less than an acre to build a small house.

bn supreme council mt meeting sapp sabah issue 190608 taib mahmud Quoting an election propaganda newsletter issued by the DAP today, Chong claimed that Abdul Taib ( right ) had amassed at least 20,000 hectares of land under companies owned by his family members.

Among them were 10,000 hectares in Puyut alienated in 2008 to one Polar Red Sdn Bhd which is owned by one of Abdul Taib's sons, another 5,003 hectares in Puyut to a company belonging to Abdul Taib's brother and 6,358 hectares in Balingian to a company under Abdul Taib's sister.

"We have checked with the Companies Commission and there are no trading records. The land office can alienate large areas of land for the chief minister's family but when it comes to ordinary people asking for land for houses, they are told they cannot alienate land for residential purposes.

"This is an unfair land policy and we regret that the SUPP is avoiding the issue," he said in taking a swipe at SUPP and its candidate Robert Lau Hui Yew who will take on DAP’s Wong Ho Leng in Saturday’s by-election.