'Not wrong for govt to announce allocations during polls'

SG BAKAP BY-ELECTION | It is not an offence for ministers or ministries to organise programmes or announce allocations during by-elections, said Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan.

He said such matters have been brought to court before but decisions have never sided with the opposition parties that raised the issue.

“The courts decided then that they (the ministers) were there based on their government leadership positions to meet the people and coincidentally there was a by-election. So it’s not an offence.

“I am here (Sungai Bakap) tonight as an Umno supreme council member to give a talk, and so are the rest of my friends, including Fadhlina Sidek, who is the education minister, and also the MP here (Nibong Tebal),” he told reporters after attending a political talk in Kampung Makau Suah, Nibong Tebal last night.

Ahmad (above) was commenting on a statement by an opposition MP carried on a news portal yesterday alleging that many ministers showed up under the cover of government-organised programmes in Sungai Bakap and not as part of party activities or for Pakatan Harapan candidate Joohari Ariffin.

Rantau Panjang MP Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff claimed that it was something voters had voiced out to her as many programmes were being organised in Sungai Bakap that involved the government and its ministers.

Joohari will take on Nibong Tebal PAS deputy chief Abidin Ismail, who is the Perikatan Nasional candidate in a straight fight for the Sungai Bakap seat on July 6, following the death of Sungai Bakap assemblyperson Nor Zamri Latiff on May 24, due to stomach inflammation.

Ahmad, who is the public works minister, also expressed hope that party machinery, whether from Umno or BN, would continue their efforts to ensure victory for the Harapan candidate.

“As war room chief appointed by the Umno supreme council, I feel that priority should be given to house-to-house visits to explain current issues.

“This includes the diesel subsidy rationalisation and water supply problem as they are the main issues here,” he added.

- Bernama

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