How political parties are wooing voters post-GE14

Free dinners are just one of the methods political parties are using in efforts to win over voters, says Bersih. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Election watchdog Bersih 2.0 claims a new trend in vote-buying has arisen among political parties after the 14th general election last May.

Instead of giving cash handouts, it said, candidates or political parties and their supporters were now wooing voters with “treats” such as free dinners.

Bersih chairman Thomas Fann said the trend was first noticed after the Sungai Kandis by-election last year, the first to be held following the May 9 polls.

“They know the Election Commission is now independent, so they are not giving cash as they did under the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration. But treats, that is increasing,” he told FMT.

Aside from free dinners, he said, durian parties were held and pens given to voters during the Sungai Kandis, Balakong, Seri Setia and Port Dickson by-elections.

“By right, candidates are not even allowed to spend on a cup of teh tarik,” he said, adding that this was clearly stated in the Election Offences Act.

He urged political parties to hold open debates with each other to attract crowds instead of spending money on treats.

“Remember, BN lost despite all the gifts,” he said.

Lee Wee Tack, an analyst with the Malaysia Electoral Analysis Project, voiced concern that more treats may be dished out to voters during the Cameron Highlands by-election, set for Jan 26.

He said this was because voters there were likely to focus on bread and butter issues instead of political developments, which might leave them open to such treats.

Noting that some Orang Asli were still battling even for clean water, he raised the possibility of candidates or their supporters trying to bribe the community with gifts.

“It is going to be a tough fight between Pakatan Harapan and BN, and because of that, we may see more treats being dished out.”

MIC vice-president C Sivarraajh won the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat in the general election last year, beating four other candidates with a slim margin of 597 votes.

The by-election was called after the Election Court nullified the results on evidence of vote-buying during the election campaign. - FMT