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Yoursay: Is Bersih being overzealous by scrutinising ministers’ visits?

YOURSAY | ‘Never thought I would see people here asking Bersih to shut up.’

Minister denies gov't machinery abused in Cameron Highlands visits

JusticeNow!: For Bersih to just shoot off a few salvos without specific facts or evidence from the ground (such as video recording) will make them sound hollow.

Learn from former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, she always backed up what she said with facts and evidence.

How do you dispute facts that Transport Minister Anthony Loke already planned this trip in October last year? Show proof that he is campaigning or giving political speech - not generalise and say that these ministers are there campaigning.

Don't get me wrong, I attended almost all Bersih rallies.

Anonymous: To those who belittle Bersih, I ask you this. Would you condone the many visits from cabinet ministers if the government of the day was BN?

It is common sense to see all the ministers visiting Cameron Highlands to tacitly show support for their coalition.

Do you know of the probability of ministers (plural) visiting a specific location for work? Slim, probable but very slim.

It is a facade, of course, but they are expected by their parties to show support. Where is the check-and-balance here?

JL: I am thinking, if US President Donald Trump were to visit an area and campaign for his party, do you tell his bodyguards to stay at home and he travels by himself, or hire his own bodyguards?

Same goes with the Malaysian ministers. It is normal to campaign for your own party but there are some resources, such as official bodyguards, which are paid for by taxpayers.

Not using government machinery is logical but not going to campaign for your party just because you are ministers is illogical.

Offering projects in return for votes is a no-no. Showing support is not.

Sinan Belawan: Abuse of power for personal gain is corruption.

A picture speaks a thousand words. I am referring to the picture of a whole group of Harapan ministers who claim to have held ministerial events on the same day in Cameron Highlands - Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, National Unity and Social Harmony Minister P Waythamoorthy, Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran, Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

Loke, you expect us to believe that "the trip had been planned for some time”?

Wow, Pakatan Harapan politicians are prophetic, they knew a by-election would be held in Cameron Highlands so they planned a trip there some time ago.

Who paid for the trip and the events in Cameron Highlands? Malaysian taxpayers.

Vijay47: Loke, please do not insult what little intelligence we have.

You sound exactly like an Umno or Barisan politician and the shameless part is that when it was done previously, all of you in DAP would be up in arms about the subtle or cunning misuse of government facilities.

First, we had Umno’s Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, then we had him again (with Bersatu), and now you come out with the ridiculous justification. Have the whole bunch of you taken up Umno conduct?

Suddenly and coinciding with the by-election, all ministers had the same crying need to visit Cameron Highlands? And you have the cheek to say "I went to Cameron Highlands yesterday in my capacity as the transport minister".

It may have been acceptable if you went there in your own steam "to campaign for my colleague M Manogaran". You politicians are all the same.

ChuenTick: This is the advantage of being the government in power - unless Bersih can show obvious abuse of government machinery, I feel Loke’s explanation holds water.

But my best wishes are not with Harapan in this by-election, it has not lived up to its promise of change.

DAP has transformed into the MCA of old in BN, it no longer dares to speak out on issues - it just wants to be patted on the head by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Ikanbilisman: There is nothing wrong with ministers going to support their party but don’t give lame excuses that these are planned visits and it is just a coincidence.

Stop taking us as fools as you are no better than the previous BN pack of liars.

Lodestar: If no law has been broken, Bersih should just shut up. What level-playing field do they want? In a football match, the home team always has an advantage.

Would Bersih demand that they play with one man short so as to have a level-playing field?

TCM: Never thought I would see people here asking Bersih to shut up.

Bersih should continue doing what it does to ensure a clean and fair election. If the current government is abusing the machinery, point it out.

We supported Bersih for this, why the double standard now? Harapan won despite the machinery against it during GE14. Still afraid the same machinery could be used by the old regime?

Mamadias: Loke, politics is an art of all possibilities. Suddenly, just before the by-election, the deputy prime minister, ministers and MPs got time to solve Cameron Highlands’ transport problem?

Honestly, I believe Bersih is getting out of hand with their demands but then again Harapan was so good in running on Bersih campaigns that they have actually tied a string around their neck and are now using all kind of justification in their actions during the by-election.

‘Semua dua kali lima’ (all are the same). Only thing is Harapan does not promise anything because they say “no approval yet”.

Anonymous_4b01265e: Indeed, didn’t Harapan leaders complain about the same abuse by BN when they were in opposition?


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