Government aid and incentives not bribery, says deputy solicitor general

PUTRAJAYA, April 19 — The aid and incentives given to the public and civil servants are not bribery because the federal government made the  decision before parliament was dissolved earlier this month.

Deputy Solicitor General II, Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah said this is because the allocation was already “budgeted for”, only that the announcement was made after the dissolution of Dewan Rakyat.

He said the launch of manifestos and promises made by all political parties when campaigning should not be misconstrued as vote-buying and thus are not offences under the Election Offences Act.

In 2009, the Federal Court made a decision that promises to bring development during the election campaign could not be avoided because “if no such promise was made, it will render the election meaningless.”

“The Federal Court also ruled that it is not an act of bribery,” he told a press conference at the lobby of the Attorney-General’s Chamber here today.

He was referring to media reports yesterday quoting the secretary-general of Transparency International Malaysia Josie M Fernandez that BN violated the Election Integrity Pledge signed on February 20.

The report also listed examples such as the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the expansion of the 1 Malaysia Discount Card and construction of a RM400 million complex in Perak.

Meanwhile, Tun Abdul Majid said the Attorney-General’s Chamber had in the last 24 hours decided not to act on 38 cases relating to offences related to the 13th general election due to the absence of suspects or witnesses.

Over the same period, 27 cases were directed for further investigation, including cases related to treason, arson, causing hurt, criminal intimidation, assembly without notice and so on. — Bernama