KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — The Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) urged all supporters and members to speak up against corruption, and not leave it to the party’s leadership to keep highlighting the issue.

Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz said despite the Madani government’s talk of a clean administration, the party kept seeing election offences with promises of awards, monetary gains and positions in return for votes.

She pointed to the recent speech by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to voters in Kuala Terengganu, arguing that his remarks were akin to bribing the voters.

"I am urging all our members, future members and supporters to speak up against this form of corruption and not wait or let Muda’s leadership do the heavy lifting alone. Remember that you are all Malaysians and have the right to speak up and voice your concerns.

"We are at a crucial impasse in Muda’s political journey and we must fight for a Malaysia with better, more independent administrators and not let such forms of corruption; like we see with the deputy prime minister and his promises of grants in return for votes; continue. A government will lose credibility that way,” Amira said during Muda’s annual general meeting today.

On Friday, Zahid through his portfolio in the Rural and Regional Development Ministry agreed to an additional grant of RM100,000 for the Central Terengganu Development Authority (Ketengah) Youth Association for youth development activities in the state, RM250,000 to the Terengganu Malaysia Youth Council, RM200,000 to motorcycle teams throughout the state.

When concerns were raised about it, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki reportedly said there were no issues with regards to those grants as they were government initiatives.

Today, Muda president Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said the party will need all the help it could get for the state elections as it was contesting these alone.

He said that while they could not match the spending power of the bigger parties, Muda would commit to training and preparing young motivated individuals as candidates with the track record and abilities to win elections.

He hoped the state elections would be the first step for Muda’s candidates to hopefully one day be able to decide policies and laws in Parliament for the benefit of all Malaysians.

"We must start small because we have big dreams, but rest assured my friends that as long as we continue this struggle for equality and do not distance ourselves from the public, we will reach that destination,” said Saddiq.

"That destination I speak of is not of becoming a minister or prime minister, it’s to change policies and laws that can help us. I don’t believe in race and religious superiority, rather I believe that together, we stand a better chance of prospering,” he said.

The state elections are set to take place on August 12 in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang. Early voting will be on August 8.