We saw government equipment, official vehicles used in BN campaigns, journalists tell tribunal

Two journalists from online news portals testified before the Bersih People's Tribunal today, highlighting the usage of government machinery during the campaign period of the 13th general election.

They had both observed, while covering the election, government equipment and vehicles being used by the caretaker government after Parliament was dissolved.

Koh Jun Lin, a Malaysiakini journalist, said that he was also berated and subsequently chased out of a Barisan Nasional (BN) event by a party worker when he had questioned the usage of the government-owned items.

Questioned by the chief of legal team, Professor Gurdial Singh, he revealed that he was assigned to cover BN's deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on April 7 in the Batu constituency in Kuala Lumpur.

"The event was the launching of the party's election command centre.

"He (Muhyiddin) was giving his speech and that's when I noticed the Information Department logo on the microphone and on the speakers," Koh added.

The speakers, he disclosed, was mounted on a vehicle, also bearing the department logo.

Gurdial: So it was a government vehicle being used?

Koh: Yes.

Gurdial: Did you see the opposition being allowed to use government machinery?

Koh: No.

The journalist said that he was then asked by his superiors to seek an explanation from the event organisers about the use of the Information Department's equipment.

"I spoke to party workers on location and was told to seek the head of a local non-governmental organisation, one Captain Suhaimi."

Gurdial: In your statutory declaration here, you say that when you asked Suhaimi about this, he said this issue is no concern of yours. What else did he do?

Koh: He told me I was lucky I wasn't smacked and then someone else came and chased me out of the place.

Free Malaysia Today journalist Alfian Zohri Mohd Tahir saw government cars being used when he covered Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at an event at the Southern University in Skudai, Johor.

"The cars had clear signs on the registration plates that it belonged to the state government," he added.

Several pictures of the vehicles, taken by Alfian at the event, were shown to the tribunal. It had the words "Hakmilik Kerajaan Johor".