Tok Mat: EC quick to act against us but not against Pakatan

SEREMBAN: Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan claims that the Election Commission (EC) has failed to stop several alleged election offences in the campaign for the Rantau by-election.

The Barisan Nasional candidate alleged that Pakatan Harapan had violated several rules, which include providing meals at their ceramah.

“(The EC) has the power to stop these activities, as these are tantamount to canvassing support.

“When Anwar (PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) is eating, you must hold his hand and tell him to stop, because it’s an offence.

Mohamad said several other events, such as servicing motorcycles for free, were also being done on the sly.

He also claimed EC enforcement officials were quick to act when it concerned Barisan.

“Our team based at Rumah Johor near here was asked to stop an indoor meeting, just because they were using a microphone and speaker.

“But why was no action taken against them (Pakatan)?” he said.

On Tuesday (April 9), EC chief Azizan Azhar Harun said it was powerless to act against allegations of power abuse reported during the Rantau by-election campaign.

He said only the courts had jurisdiction in this.

On a separate matter, Mohamad said the authorities should probe a claim by PKR vice president Rafizi Ramli that he had asked its candidate for Rantau, Dr S. Streram, to break through a police barricade when he was not allowed to enter the nomination centre during last May's general election.

“I have always believed that it was staged to shame the EC and tell the world that our election process was not transparent.

“Since the police's image was also adversely affected, they may want to probe the case,” added Mohamad.

Rafizi made the allegation during a ceramah last night (April 10).

To another question, Mohamad concurred with Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had urged members not to pit party leaders against one another.

“We should stop this, as our agenda is to rejuvenate the party and prepare for the next general election.

“I may propose at the next party supreme council meeting that we should sheath the keris in Umno's logo, so that such activities are stopped,” he said in jest.- Star