An Umno vice-president and six supreme council members have been named as being involved in money politics, in a letter addressed to party president and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The letter - which also named eight other losing candidates who had stood for the vice-presidency and supreme council posts during the party polls last September - made specific claims about the sums allegedly paid to delegates as well as listed the names of 'witnesses'.

The letter - a copy of which was made available to malaysiakini - was purportedly signed by Kuala Krai deputy division chief Sayed Mohd Ali Saipuddin Sayed Yaacob.

When contacted yesterday for verification, he would only confirm that he had sent "a letter" to Abdullah on June 27 - two months after the deadline for submissions on complaints about money politics in Umno.

He declined to reveal whether the copy in malaysiakini' s possession was the actual letter.

Sayed Mohd Ali said his intention in writing to Abdullah was to seek "a clear code of ethics on how candidates should behave in party elections".

"My request is connected to the last Umno elections. That's all I can tell you. I cannot reveal to you the contents (of my letter). If I expose it to you or any other media, disciplinary action can be taken against me," he said.

"We cannot take our grievances to the media because we have to go through the proper channels. We have seen the action taken against (Kota Bharu Umno chief) Zaid Ibrahim who had spoken to the media... This is an internal problem... among members of one family. It must be settled and resolved among ourselves."

'Upholding justice'

Asked if there has been any backlash from other members in relation to his letter, Sayed Mohd Ali said that members' reaction was not his main concern.

"If we want to uphold justice, we should not be afraid of the consequences whatever these may be... what is important is that we get the message across," said the politician who claimed that he had not taken sides with any particular leader including those who have been punished.

Last month party vice-president Mohd Isa Abdul Samad was slapped with a six-year suspension by the party for buying votes.

Isa, 56, who is federal territories minister, is the highest ranking member in the ruling Umno party to have been penalised for corruption.

The disciplinary board found him guilty of three counts of bribing delegates to back his bid for one of the three vice-presidents' posts - he attained the largest majority, to widespread surprise.

'Payments' for veep posts

The letter obtained by malaysiakini claimed that Isa was not the only winning candidate who had allegedly gone on a vote-shopping spree. (See chart)

It claimed that another candidate for vice-president had allowed his agent to give between RM200 and RM500 to delegates at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, through his political secretary.

The letter stated that the incident was witnessed by five division chiefs who were each given RM3,000 through a Kelantan politician, who acted as an agent for the candidate.

Three losing vice-presidency candidates were also said to have allowed their agents to give money, with one allegedly authorising payment of RM300 to delegates at a meeting in Kelantan. Three witnesses were named.

The same candidate was said to have allowed his agent to pay the hotel rates for delegates who attended a political briefing in Pahang. They were each allegedly given RM300 through an agent, according to the letter which named five witnesses to this incident.

Another losing candidate had allegedly allowed his agents to give between RM150 and RM200 to all delegates from Kelantan

A third candidate who lost the elections was accused of giving RM500 to all delegates from Kelantan on the last day of Umno assembly, at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

The purported writer of the letter claimed in the document that he had refused to accept RM3,000 given by this candidate through an agent.

Supreme Council seats

The letter also named six of the supreme council candidates who won as having been involved in buying votes.

One prominent candidate had allegedly paid RM1,500 to each delegate who attended a meeting in Kelantan, while another was said to have given RM500 to delegates and RM1,000 (in Singapore currency) to his agents through a deputy division chief.

Other allegations were that agents had delivered varying amounts at different locations purportedly on behalf of the remaining four candidates:

  • RM300 to each Kelantan delegate, behind the court building in Kota Bharu; witnesses were named.

  • RM300 to each delegate during a briefing at division level; the candidate did not attend, but the money was allegedly delivered on behalf of him and another winning candidate.

  • RM300 at a function organised by a Kelantan division.

  • RM200 at a hotel in Kelantan.

    • Five losing candidates, had allegedly allowed their agents in Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur to pay delegates between RM200 and RM500 each.

    However, the letter writer said Umno should not punish offenders because this is an internal problem that would only discredit the party itself.

    "If we really want to combat money politics in Umno elections, the president must frame a very clear guideline for the disciplinary board," read the letter.

    It suggested that candidates should be allowed to use the media to introduce themselves, make phone calls to delegates, speak openly about the elections and their candidacy during functions approved by the president.

    The writer said the letter was not meant to cause problems for those named, but to seek a long-term solution for the party to overcome money politics.

    Umno 2004 poll results