PSB cries vote-buying after over RM1m distributed to S'wak churches

SARAWAK POLLS | PSB candidate for Ba'Kelalan Baru Bian has accused the Sarawak government of vote-buying amid the state polls.

This was after the Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), an entity under the Deputy Sarawak Chief Minister's Office, disbursed more than RM1 million to 41 Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) churches in Lawas and Trusan.

"I have been informed that in total, RM3.21 million will be distributed to the 80 BEM churches in Lawas and Trusan.

"There is nothing wrong in churches receiving funding from the government, but the timing of the programme is questionable and raises many red flags.

"Also, there are over 800 BEM churches in Sarawak, but only those in Lawas and Trusan are being given money in the week before the election.

"It does not take a genius to figure out that GPS is obviously trying to buy votes from the predominantly Christian voters in Ba'Kelalan by distributing the cheques during this campaign period," Baru (above) said in a statement.

Baru is the two-term incumbent for Ba'Kelalan. He previously won the seat under the PKR ticket but has since defected to PSB.

In this election, Bian is facing GPS' Sam Laya, PKR's Martin Labo, Parti Bumi Kenyalang's Pita Asut and independent candidate Agnes Padan.

Sarawakians are set to go to the polls next Saturday (Dec 18).

Stoop to 'the lowest levels' 

Baru said it was disappointing that GPS would stoop to "the lowest levels" by using Unifor for political gains.

"The choice of venue for the presentation of the cheques is deplorable also. Instead of the Dewan Masyarakat, they organised the distribution of such allocations at various churches.

"This infiltration of our churches by agents of politics has desecrated and defiled our sacred sanctuaries," he added.

Baru said in the 2016 Sarawak election, the GPS parties, then part of BN, had also attempted a similar strategy.

"I am confident that the voters in Ba'Kelalan are wise enough to know political agenda when it comes visiting in the form of money and I urge them to condemn such mischievous ways of trying to buy votes," he said. - Mkini