Wrong to use govt resources for campaigning, Bersih tells Ahmad Maslan

Bersih has criticised Deputy Works Minister Ahmad Maslan for saying it is not wrong for cabinet members to organise programmes or announce allocations during by-elections.

“We would like to remind our leaders that using government machinery and resources for campaigning is against internationally recognised good practices when it comes to ensuring free and fair elections.

“For example, Article 4(1) of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Declaration mentions that the state must ensure there is a separation between the government and party to ensure free and fair elections,” Bersih secretariat said in a statement.

Yesterday, Ahmad, who is also an Umno supreme council member, said it was not an offence for ministers or ministries to organise programmes or announce allocations during by-elections.

He said such matters have been brought to court before but decisions have never sided with the 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 was reported as saying during a ceramah on Monday (June 24).

Remember Kuala Terengganu case?

Unimpressed with Ahmad’s argument, Bersih reminded the former of how the court annulled the victory of Kuala Terengganu MP Ahmad Amzad Hashim on June 27 last year.

This came after Amzad’s contender succeeded in proving that corruption had taken place intending to influence voters during the 15th general election.

In addition, Bersih said Ahmad’s view runs contrary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s own instruction on June 12 for cabinet members to adhere to electoral laws when campaigning for the Sungai Bakap by-election.

“We have also issued a 3C guideline (no campaign, no condition, no candidate) for the caretaker government to adhere to during polls, be it Putrajaya or state governments.

“As such, Bersih will continue pushing parties in the coalition government, especially those from Pakatan Harapan, to fulfil their own promises made for decades.

“Don’t repeat the same mistakes and it’s important for the Madani government to plan and give a proper timeline on when it would implement reforms to the electoral system,” the watchdog added.

Not the first time

This was not the first time ministers drew Bersih’s ire over the Sungai Bakap polls.

On June 12, Bersih criticised Anwar and Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming after both announced allocations for the Sungai Bakap constituency.

This came after on June 11, Anwar, via his political secretary Mohd Shamsul Mohd Akin, allocated RM290,000 to nine mosques and 20 surau within the Sungai Bakap constituency.

On the same day, Nga also announced an allocation of RM18 million to fund various projects in South Seberang Perai, Penang, under the Sentuhan Kasih programme.

“We strongly condemn using government resources during an election, be it in a by-election or general election.

“It is commonly known that after the announcement of a seat vacancy by the speaker of Dewan Rakyat or the state legislative assembly, a by-election would be held.

“Therefore, ministers at both the federal and state levels should be aware of the limits of their function during this time,” Bersih secretariat was reported as saying.

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