KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man yesterday issued a statement to defend his party’s chief from claims he condoned bribery, saying Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s statement was deliberately twisted by rivals.

The PAS deputy president told Berita Harian that Hadi only stated that a standing candidate is prohibited from giving any forms of donations or gifts, and that election laws governing a candidate’s conduct do not prevent others from handing out alms.

"If other parties (other than the candidate) want to hand out (alms) that’s up to them because it doesn’t fall under what’s prohibited,” he was quoted as saying.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) could possibly launch an investigation into claims that Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders had given bribes at November’s general election.

PN secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin reportedly said on Sunday that his coalition’s election candidates had given money to voters, but added it was at the request of the voters themselves.

The statement came just a day after Hadi was reported as justifying giving donations during a campaign trail and that it was not a form of bribery.

Government leaders responded to the statement by urging the MACC to investigate, but Tuan Ibrahim alleged Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan could have also engaged in bribery.

"We hope MACC will also investigate the awarding of land in Tioman during GE15 and other grants made by various parties in case they are also considered corruption,” he was quoted as saying.

The PAS leader was also reported to have shared a newspaper clipping about Penang DAP paying for students’ travel fares to get them to come back to vote.

"Will the MACC look into this report?” he asked.