Kit Siang: BN learns nothing from Likas corrupt practice lesson

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The Gaya by-election stands as an example that corrupt election practices can bring about the disqualification of the guilty candidate. However, an opposition leader said few lessons appeared to have been learnt as money politics still prevail.

DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said the circumstances leading to the Gaya by-election should be sufficient to ensure that the Barisan Nasional would be "extra-careful" not to run foul of the Election Offences Act and that campaigns are conducted properly and ethically.

"But this does not appear to be the case and DAP lawyers will be instructed to study whether BN had violated the law, in particular with regards to corrupt election practices which would render the BN campaign unlawful, null and void," he said in a press statement today.

The by-election was called after the Sabah Progressive Party president Yong Teck Lee was disqualified from his position as the MP for Gaya and state assemblyperson for Likas after being found guilty by an election court judge for committing corrupt practices during the 1999 Sabah state election.

The three candidates vying for the seat are BN's Liew Teck Chan, DAP's Dr Hiew King Cheu and Keadilan's Christina Liew. The by-election results are expected to be announced at 8:30 pm.

RM9,000 per voter

Lim said several large allocations by the government to woo voters in Gaya may fall foul of election campaign laws.

"The most blatant case is the announcement of RM13 million for the relocation of squatters among the 1,500 Gaya Island voters whose homes were improperly or 'inadvertently' demolished by the state authorities," he said.

The opposition politician pointed out that the sum worked out to some RM9,000 spent per voter by the government.

"If it is wrong to offer RM9,000 each to get votes in a by-election, shouldn't the offer of RM9,000 each to influence votes for the BN candidate be similarly unlawful ?" he questioned.

Lim said these practices appear to violate Part III of the Elections Offences Act on "corrupt practices".

In addition, the party leader said there could also be inconsistencies with Section 43 of the Act on "avoidance of election on election petition".

The law states that an elected candidate can be disqualified if it is proven that general bribery, general treating or general intimidation were used during the campaign which could reasonably have affected the result of the election.



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