Senior officers misused assets to campaign for BN, veterans claim

Pahlawan lodges report with MACC on nine senior officers who acted as the main agents to help BN in GE13 and GE14.

Asri Buang (third from left) with other Pahlawan leaders after lodging their report at the MACC headquarters.

PUTRAJAYA: An organisation representing former security forces personnel has claimed that senior officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces misused military assets to campaign for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the last two general elections.

Leaders of the 14,000-strong Pertubuhan Prihatin Bekas Anggota Keselamatan Malaysia (Pahlawan), led by its president Asri Buang, lodged a report on their allegation at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here today.

Asri said nine senior officers were the main agents who had made available military assets for BN to use in its election campaigns in 2013 and this year.

“The officers are still in active service. Among their wrongdoings was to allow BN to set up its election operations rooms in military complexes,” he told reporters.

He added that all the evidence Pahlawan gathered had been handed over to MACC.

Asri said armed forces personnel were also pressured to ensure a victory for BN.

As a result, he added, personnel at all armed forces bases in the country had voted overwhelmingly for BN in past elections.

“We don’t want this situation to be repeated in future elections. We hope MACC will investigate and take action,” he said.

Asri also said Pahlawan had requested a meeting with new Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu to brief him on the alleged electoral abuse in military camps. --FMT