KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has today called on the Election Commission (EC) to keep an eye on the possible exploitation of government resources and assets during the Pelangai by-election campaigning.
In a video on his Facebook page, Tuan Ibrahim claimed that these have happened during campaigning, which he said were in clear violation of electoral rules.
“Besides the use of government machinery and the presence of officers from the state government agencies, there must also be a monitoring against the distribution of incentives which were akin to 'durian runtuh' for the voters,” he said in an accompanying statement, using the Malay idiom for “windfall”.
He also said that such moves go against the reform spirit of 25 years ago, referring to the Reformasi movement in support of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim back then.
However, he did not provide elaboration or examples to back his claims.
The Pelangai state by-election will be held following the death of Datuk Seri Johari Harun who died in a plane crash in Shah Alam, Selangor on August 17.
The three candidates running for the seat are Barisan Nasional's Datuk Amizar Abu Adam from Umno, PAS’ Kasim Samat for Perikatan Nasional, and independent candidate Haslihelmy DM Zulhasli.
The Elections Court had previously nullified PAS' wins in the Parliamentary seats of Kemaman and Kuala Terengganu, citing the presence of elements of corruption during the 15th general election campaigning.
