KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 — Electoral watchdog Bersih today called out Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for promising to reward voters who support Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the coming six state elections, by granting them positions in government-linked-companies (GLCs).
The group said GLCs are not tools for political parties to offer anyone as a reward, adding that doing so can be construed as a form of vote-buying.
“Bersih considers Muhyiddin's open declaration of distribution and promise of political appointments to GLCs if PN wins the six state elections as an affront to good governance and an abuse of state power to reward their own political operatives.
“GLCs are companies that exist to safeguard and grow public wealth and are not political parties’ ATM to put party loyalists on the state's payroll.
“In openly declaring his intention, we also wonder if it is a form of vote buying to secure the support of certain groups,” Bersih said in a statement.
In an interview with news portal Free Malaysia Today published last Wednesday, Muhyiddin said his coalition had already planned who would be appointed into GLCs if PN wins the state elections.
He was quoted saying that if good calibre politicians existed, there was no problem with appointing them to GLCs and that those positions need not exclusively be for corporate figures.
He was also reported claiming the current federal government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was doing the same thing.
“This form of political patronage has unfortunately become part of our political culture and every successive governments’, including the current Unity Government, who is guilty of appointing either elected or unelected politicians to the board of GLCs,” Bersih said.
It added that there must be a clear and rigorous process to ensure transparency in GLC appointments so that only qualified individuals are entrusted with public assets.
It urged Malaysians to vote wisely in the state elections so that only parties and candidates who are serious about reforms will be elected.
“Voters must vote wisely in the upcoming state elections to ensure that parties or candidates who are committed to institutional reforms to end corruption are elected so that our country can be freed from the scourge of political patronage and corruption,” it said.
Negeri Sembilan dissolved it state legislative assembly today, paving the way for state polls.
Five other states that have already dissolved their respective legislatures are Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
The elections for all six states are expected to be held simultaneously, though the Election Commission has yet to announce a date.
