Accountability is a Caretaker Government’s Responsibility

Press Statement, 11 April 2013

Accountability is a Caretaker Government’s Responsibility

It has been one week since the prime minister has announced the dissolution of Parliament, and the transition to caretaker governments at Federal and State level has already begun. BERSIH 2.0 is disappointed to observe a range of violations ranging from political violence to the misuse of public facilities by caretaker governments, political parties, and other entities participating in the 13th General Election.

A day after the dissolution of Parliament, BERSIH 2.0 launched its Code of Conduct for Participants of the 13th General Election and Caretaker Government Guidelines.

Since 3 April 2013, violations reported by the media and observed by BERSIH 2.0 include:

• April 4 – The Selangor Chief Minister announced an RM300 bonus for the Selangor civil servants one day after the dissolution of parliament.
• April 5 – Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak announced new projects in Cyberjaya totalling almost RM8 billion. The projects are: a RM6 billion Cyberjaya city centre, a RM600 million environmental-friendly mosque and a RM1.02 billion mixed development project.
• April 5 – The Selangor state government announced an additional allocation of RM2.46 million for the Neighbourhood Safety Programme in an effort to reduce crime in rural areas.
• April 7 – Residents from three villages in Bestari Jaya was given land titles after being promised that their problems pertaining to their land ownership titles will be resolved a month ago. Chief Minister of Selangor also stated that the State Government will provide an alternative to help residents who cannot afford to pay the premium for the titles.
• April 7 – Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak gave out 22,000 helmets for BN youth supporters who are campaigning for BN throughout the Selangor state.
• April 7 – An allocation of RM5.1 million from the federal state was allocated to 98  Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SKJC) schools in Kedah. The allocation was channel via the Prime Minister’s Office through the Program Sentuhan Kasih.
• April 8 – It was announced that the Kad Diskaun 1Malaysia  will be extended to all government retirees, allowing them to get discounts from over 100 participating shops and companies. The card, which was launched in mid-March 2013 was originally meant for police and army retirees only.
• April 8 – Three vehicles belonging to the Information Department was reportedly seen to facilitate the launch of BN’s command centre in Kuala Lumpur. The reporter who was at the scene was also threatened by a BN official when he made inquiries.
• April 8 – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister and also Education Minister, made an announcement that all schoolchildren in Malaysia will be provided with a laptop from next year onwards. He was quoted by the media as saying that it was something that must be implemented by the BN government as part of its promises to be fulfilled.

BERSIH 2.0 is appalled by Dato’ Seri Utama Rais Yatim’s response to the use of the ministry’s vehicles for a Barisan Nasional campaigning event. His excuse, that the campaign period has not officially started, borders on the farcical. Further, he failed to address the threat of violence made by a BN official against a journalist who inquired about the use of said vehicles. We consider his silence on this matter to be condoning the act of intimidation and threat of violence.

BERSIH 2.0 urges all political parties, their supporters, and caretaker governments to make use of our Code of Conduct and Caretaker Government Guidelines. We also laud the action of the Penang and Selangor State government for instructing its officials to return vehicles belonging to the State following the dissolution of their respective state assembly. We hope other State governments will also follow suit and, further, that this will not only be limited to the use of government vehicles but also other machinery and resources.

Thank you.

Salam BERSIH!

Steering Committee

Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections 2.0 (BERSIH 2.0)

The Steering Committee of BERSIH 2.0 comprises:

Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan (Co-Chairperson), Datuk A. Samad Said (Co-Chairperson), Ahmad Syukri Abdul Razab, Andrew Ambrose, Andrew Khoo, Anne Lasimbang, Arul Prakkash, Arumugam K., Awang Abdillah, Dr Farouk Musa, Liau Kok Fah, Maria Chin Abdullah, Matthew Vincent, Niloh Ason, Richard Y W Yeoh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon, Dr Wong Chin Huat, Dato’ Yeo Yang Poh and Zaid Kamaruddin.