Manogaran: Volunteer money not illegal, Harapan wants clean by-election

CAMERON POLLS | Pakatan Harapan's candidate for the Cameron Highlands by-election, M Manogaran, clarifies that distributing cash as compensation to party volunteers is not an offence under the law.

BN accused Harapan of vote-buying yesterday after photos of a woman handing out money to people dressed in red Cameron Highlands Pakatan Harapan t-shirts went viral.

Speaking to the media during a walkabout in Felda village Sungai Koyan 2 in Jelai this morning, Manogaran reiterated that what the photographs showed was simply party volunteers being reimbursed, not vote-buying.

"The issue we are facing now is not a big problem. Handing out money by a volunteer for food and transport is not an offence under the law.

"The money was a part of our campaign spending and it will be included in our account declaration to the Election Commission. It is not wrong.

"The court says giving cash for votes is wrong, that is corruption. (That is) very clear," he said. 

The DAP politician added that opposition leaders need not raise this issue or "waste time" reporting it to the police.

"I suggest that they use this short campaign period to campaign in a clean way. We want a clean by-election," he added.

Yesterday, representatives from MIC Youth and Pahang Umno Youth lodged police and MACC reports about the cash handout images.

Harapan Jelai operations chief Arvind Bharet previously clarified that the cash was petrol expense reimbursement for volunteers and would be declared to the Election Commission as election expenses.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang had also given details on the incident, stating that they paid RM20 each for 60 motorcyclists and challenged BN to also reveal its election expenses on nomination day.

[More to follow] - Mkini