A group of Upper Six students in Kelantan claimed they were told to pass themselves off as Umno members, vote during the party branch nominations and remain silent if asked about the matter - all for RM20.

The students, from SMK Hamzah 1 in Machang, said they were also treated to a plate of mee hoon before being ferried to the venues of the various branch meets within the Tanah Merah Umno division.

The division has become the centre of controversy after incumbent chief Hashim Safin accused his challenger, division Youth chief Ikmal Hisham Abd Aziz, of money politics.

Hashim obtained 33 nominations while Ikmal Hisham garnered 73 after all the branches within the Tanah Merah division concluded their meetings.

The matter is currently being probed by the Umno disciplinary committee. Both the leaders are being quizzed while the division meeting has been suspended indefinitely .

In statutory declarations made to clear their names dated July 12, the 19-year-old students said they attended the Umno branch meetings upon Ikmal's invitation.

Copies of the declarations as well as supporting documents and reports have been made available to malaysiakini .

Malaysiakini has decided not to publish the names of the students in order to protect their identities.

The students said Ikmal invited them on June 27 to attend a motivational seminar at SMK Dato' Mahmud Paduka Raja 2 in Tanah Merah. "Two buses ferried us for the briefing, followed by about 20 rented cars," said one student.

Told to raise hand

"During the briefing, Ikmal ordered us to stand in for a number of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) students who were supposed to be at the Umno branch meetings (as observers)."

However, a few students immediately returned to their hostels after suspecting something was amiss.

"We were given RM10 for attending the briefing," said another student. "Mee hoon was also served."

According to the statutory declaration, about 150 students attended the briefing session conducted by Ikmal.

"A about 8pm, I was given an identity card (IC) and taken directly to the Umno Kulim branch meeting.

"I was told to raise my hand in support of Ikmal's nomination for the division chief's post. I was then paid RM20 for attending the meeting," read one student's declaration.

The Umno branches mentioned by the students are Kulim, Sri Kenanga and Bechah Pelting Hilir.

Some students even included in their statutory declarations the names of persons as stated on the ICs given to them to vote

One UiTM student, in his statutory declaration dated June 30, claimed that he received RM20 as payment for allowing his IC to be used by another person at the Kulim branch meet for Ikmal's nomination.

Students warned

UiTM students had received a warning from their university authorities against any form of participation in Umno branch nominations.

A circular on this was issued by UiTM campus director Dr Hussin Mohamad Abd Rahman on June 26. Citing the Educational Institutions (Discipline) Act 1976, the circular warned students against getting involved.

"I urge all of you not to get involved in any unlawful conduct. The university will not hesitate to take stern action against anyone found violating the existing laws," read the circular.

In a related development, a 11-member protest action committee, formed to highlight the plight of the UiTM students, claimed Ikmal had trapped the school and varsity students into supporting his nomination during the branch meetings from June 27-29.

In a five-page report attached to a complaint sent to top Education Ministry officials, the committee alleged that students were manipulated for Ikmal's political gains.

"Ikmal used the motivational programme to instead arrange for a briefing on the role to be played by the school and varsity students at the Umno branch meetings," read the report.

"According to a Form Six student, Ikmal had asked to meet the students staying at the school hostel to discuss the motivational programme, scholarships and offers for university entry."

The report named the students who declared their presence and experiences at the June 27 briefing.

RM30 pocketed

"Each student received RM20. A sixth former who was directed to distribute RM50 to each student only gave them RM20 instead," the report said.

The protest committee comprises youth organisations such as Umno-linked Belia 4B, Pertubuhan Belia Berwawasan, Persatuan Belia Peranakan Cina Tanah Merah, Persatuan Pandu Puteri and Persatuan Puteri Islam.

As Fridays are weekend holidays in Kelantan, the school authorities could not be reached for comment.

Education Ministry officials and Ikmal were also not available.