Pakatan Rakyat leaders have accused the Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of being “a failure and incompetent” for recommending that cases of alleged vote buying during the 13th general election be closed.

NONE Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin ( left ) said the decision by the MACC cannot be accepted as he thought the MACC’s competency should be up to international standards like that of the anti-corruption body in Hong Kong.

He urged the MACC to reopen the files and probe for more evidence, saying that Pakatan leaders would lodge another report on the matter soon.

“Penang MACC’s statement that the case did not constitute an offence under the MACC Act 2009 cannot be accepted,” Sim said in a statement.

Sim said MACC has a budget of RM276 million to help fight corruption and the people have placed high expectations on the commission.

“However, after the elections, clear cases of corruption have been closed, and the confidence of the people towards the commission has lessened as a result of this,” he added.

Sim was referring to state MACC director Samarajoo Manikam who said yesterday that the commission has submitted a report on seven cases of alleged vote-buying during the May 5 polls to the attorney-general, recommending the clases to be closed.

NONE Samarajoo ( right ) also said when the commission questioned the witnesses, they did not disclose any offence under the MACC Act.

The seven reports were filed in May by Sim himself, and Pakatan candidates who lost in the polls - Abdul Halim Hussain (PKR-Teluk Bahang), Mohd Tuah Ismail (PKR-Pulau Betong), Norhayati Jaafar (PKR-Teluk Air Tawar), Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman (PKR-Pinang Tunggal), Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PKR-Balik Pulau parliamentary seat) dan Asnah Hashim (PAS-Bagan Lepas).

Sim said during the May 5 polls campaign period, thousands of Penangites attended free dinners organised by the 1Malaysia welfare club.

He claimed that those who attended the dinners received cash and lucky bonus vouchers.

“They (1Malaysia club) has first-hand experience in the methods of vote buying, thousands of Penangites can be witnesses to these incidents,” said Sim.

‘As if they are closing their eyes to a crime’

“If MACC says it does not have sufficient proof, it is as if they are closing their eyes to a crime that has happened,” he added.

“Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak himself must now explain whether his effort to fight crime through the MACC has failed,” Sim stressed.

Sim said MACC’s latest statement only goes to prove that a study done by Transparency International-Malaysia’s (TI-M) Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) was right.

The corruption watchdog reported yesterday that only 31 percent have confidence in the federal government’s effort to combat corruption, adding that this is a “historic low” for the MACC.

NONE Meanwhile, Abdul Halim ( right ) questioned who were the witnesses that the MACC had spoken to when he himself was not called to give his statement.

However, he added that MACC’s decision was “expected as long as the commission is under the AG and PM”.

“We gave them the evidence like video clips and yet they said case closed,” he lamented.

“We used all avenues to lodge the report, including going to the Election Commission and police,” he said.

“The police however told us to go to the MACC since it is not under their jurisdiction, so we did,” added the former state assembly speaker.

Anyway, Halim said the petition on electoral fraud has been filed in court, adding, “Let’s see how that goes”.

Related stories

Now EC wants voters to dip finger into indelible ink

Dad asks cops, is it wrong to support my son?

No party symbols allowed at Kuala Besut mosques

Polls petitions fails, BN keeps Selising in Kelantan

'Indelible' ink purchased via direct negotiation