Is this 'New Malaysia' but old politics, asks Gerakan veep

The controversy of bribery claims has not died down, with a Gerakan politician today reminding Pakatan Harapan leaders to always hold themselves to a higher standard.

This because they had always preached to be better than the previous BN government in the run-up to the 14th general election, Gerakan vice-president Baljit Singh said.

He said Harapan must come clean on the bribery claims involving its campaign for the Cameron Highlands by-election after photos of a woman wearing the coalition's orange T-shirt handing outcash (photo, above) to a group of youths went viral on social media.

The coalition has clarified that the incident did not involve bribery or vote-buying but that the youths were volunteer workers in the by-election campaign, who were reimbursed for their travel expenses.

"Pakatan Harapan leaders seem to have made a U-turn where such incidents are concerned. When they were in the opposition, they made a big hue and cry about election offences and corruption," Baljit told Malaysiakini.

"But now they are competing with each other to give excuses and they are not even condemning such incidents, " he said.

"Are we in a 'New Malaysia' or merely the same old politics in a new package?" he asked.

Baljit urged all the Cameron Highlands by-election candidates to comply with Bersih's "Support a Clean and Fair General Election pledge", which three out of the four candidates in the contest have signed.

They are DAP's M Manogaran and the two independent candidates, Aminuddin Baki Institute's former senior lecturer Salehuddin Abdul Talib and farmer Wong Seng Yee.

Baljit questioned why Umno's candidate Ramli Mohd Noor (above) had not signed the pledge with campaigning entering its fourth day today.

"What is he waiting for? In politics, perception is everything but more important is the intention. We hope he signs the pledge so that we can have a truly free and fair by-election this time," Baljit added. - Mkini