Stop giving Anwar unfair advantage, Bersih tells ministers

PD POLLS | Electoral reform NGO Bersih has advised ministers against campaigning either directly or indirectly for PKR's Port Dickson by-election candidate Anwar Ibrahim to ensure a level playing field.

The advice comes in light of Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu’s speech at an army camp in Port Dickson that was attended by Anwar.

His speech reportedly hinted that army veterans stood to gain if the next Port Dickson MP was to become the prime minister in the future.

Bersih’s executive director Yap Swee Seng said such statements ought not to have been made.

“It gives an unfair playing field, it gives an unfair advantage to Anwar when the incumbent defence minister is making such statements publicly during a by-election where you have an (army) base.

“I think Pakatan Harapan ministers should refrain from making such statements (about Anwar) because it will give an unfair advantage to him compared to other candidates,” he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Aside from Anwar, the six other Port Dickson by-election candidates are PAS’ Mohd Nazari Mokhtar and independents Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, Chan Keng Leong, Kan Chee Yuen and Lau Seck Yan.

Yap, however, stopped short of categorising Mohamad’s speech as an election offence.

“I think this is a grey area (as) it can be construed as a (by-election) promise (by Anwar),” he said.

On Tuesday, Mohamad had addressed the veterans before presenting several of them with the Malaysian Service Medal (PJM) at the Army Museum in Port Dickson.

"If the MP of this area becomes the prime minister, of course, we will try to solve all grievances and welfare issues even if we cannot promise golden pots and the hearts of mosquitoes," Mohamad had said in a reference to the Malay legend of the Mount Ledang Princess

While he did not speak at the event, Anwar had sat on the front row.

Both deny

Asked later, the Amanah politician denied that he was using public resources to campaign for Anwar or doing so in his capacity as the defence minister.

Anwar also denied campaigning at the medal ceremony saying that the veterans had come from all over the country.

After the event, Anwar and Mohamad enjoyed a meal at the VIP table outside the Army Museum before leaving together in the defence minister’s official car.

The Oct 13 Port Dickson by-election was triggered when incumbent MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah vacated the seat to make way for Anwar’s return to Parliament.

This is in order for Anwar to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister as previously agreed by Harapan parties. -Mkini