PAS has rubbished the Election Commission's (EC) allegation that a 'transport fee' the party is offering to outstation voters may be deemed as a form of bribery.

"We have read t azlan he EC regulations. (The EC) mentions Article 10, but does not mention Article 15. There are mitigating factors," said PAS election director Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman at a media briefing today.

Yesterday, Star had reported an EC warning that the transport fee offered by PAS can be seen as vote-buying.

"Actually we want to help the EC, We want to ensure that more people turn out to vote,” responded Abdul Halim.

"There is no other reason for us to do it. I don't know any outstation voter personally. The payment is not even handled by us, it is handled by a third party.”

PAS has come under fire over its proposal to pay RM250 to voters residing outside Galas. The EC’s statement follows similar accusations of vote-buying by BN leaders.

‘Promise fulfilled’

Abdul Halim also highlighted the fact that the PAS candidate for Galas, Dr Zulkefli Mohamad, has fulfilled his election promise even without being elected.

NONE "In his manifesto, Zulkefli (in green shirt) promised to work towards the creation of a state secretariat for Orang Asli concerns.

"Well, yesterday, Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat announced that the state government has agreed to form the secretariat and will station officers in Gua Musang to look after the Orang Asli."

The announcement was made at an event in Pos Sandrop, where Nik Aziz also gave out certificates to 75 families participating in a pilot programme to settle them on land to be gazetted as an Orang Asli reserve.

Voters go to the polls on Thursday in the by-election for the state seat in Gua Musang, Kelantan.