WOW! Umno free of money politics - NST

KUALA LUMPUR - THE major reforms in Umno's election regulations, which were first put to test on Saturday, are showing promise.

Five days after more than 150,000 voted in their Wanita, Youth and Puteri leaders, no one had filed reports of vote buying.

Authorities, both in Umno as well as those with arresting powers, are hoping that the party polls, to be concluded this weekend, would remain free of money politics.

Save for one or two verbal dissatisfaction expressed by members and reports of trivial administrative hiccups over the weekend, Umno executive secretary Datuk Ab Rauf Yusoh said no one had yet been accused of having bought their way in.

There have also been no suggestions that those vying for top party posts at the divisional and central levels were attempting to pay their way through.

Umno will go for another round of polls this Saturday to elect its three vice-presidents and 25 supreme council members and watchdogs are optimistic that the party would emerge unscathed.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which had in the past investigated politicians for money politics, is banking on the party and its will to promote transparency, to keep money politics at bay.

Its chief commissioner, Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, said as Umno had made an unprecedented move to amend its constitution in ensuring transparency and eradicating money politics, this effort must be seen through.

"At the end of the day, Umno members should be electing their leaders based on their integrity, merit and track record," he told the New Straits Times.

A source, meanwhile, said MACC had yet to receive any reports on money politics following Saturday's polls.

This, he said, was a stark contrast to the party's previous polls, where reports alleging vote buying came pouring in, in the run-up and immediately after polling day. It then rounded up 12 party division leaders for allegedly dabbling in money politics.

The most prominent case was former Umno supreme council member Norza Zakaria. He was hauled to court to face two charges of offering bribes to party delegates to vote him in the then impending party polls. Norza claimed trial and won the case.

"The way MACC sees it, Umno's new voting system will make it impossible to buy votes.

"The sheer size of the voting base has likely stamped out attempts by contenders to pay their way up Umno's top echelon.

"How do you pay off more 150,000 voters? If you try to pay your way through, how do you keep track on those bribed to make sure they vote you in?"

Umno legal adviser Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun, who is attached to the party's disciplinary board, agreed that the new regulation's chief objective was being realised.

He said in the 2009 party election, numerous reports trickled in two months prior to the polls. The board then initiated investigations, including against big names alleged to have bribed their way into being voted in.

They included former Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who was vying for the number two post, and Sports and Youth Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who was then moving up from his deputy's post to be Youth chief. Khairy was given a warning and went on to win the post.

Ali was found guilty by the party's disciplinary board for violating the party's code of ethics and was barred from contesting the deputy presidency.

At that time, only about 2,500 delegates pooled from each division nationwide were allowed to vote.

Umno was then viewed unfavourably due to rampant money politics and in 2009, initiated political reforms within to clear its image and credibility.

The party's election rules was then amended to weed out corruption by expanding the voting base to its grassroots members.

"I believe that our mission to curb money politics is on the right track.

"Ostensibly, with more than 150,000 grassroots members eligible to cast their votes, it would be difficult for any aspirants to fast- track their way through cash handouts," said Hafarizam.

It was also learnt that a special task force, appointed by the party election committee to monitor the movement of candidates, failed to find any elements of vote-buying.

NST