'PAS can't afford to pay voters like in the video' - Sanusi

PAS election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor denied that PAS had given money to voters during the 15th general election, as alleged in viral videos and postings on social media.

He said this is just a ploy by PAS’ rivals to smear the party, adding that the Islamic party does not have the funds to pay voters anyway.

“PAS does not have the funds to give to people like that.

“In the election, there were so many campaigns by our opponents to smear PAS.

“I believe these viral videos are made up by our political opponents… it just doesn’t make sense.

“(Paying voters) is an election offence, so it would be risky (for PAS) to do so in the open and have it recorded,” he told Malaysiakini last night.

One such video shows people waiting in front of a premise, purported to be to collect payment from PAS for voting.

A Twitter user, @LagaCawan, uploaded the video on Nov 20, the day after polling day.

In the replies, other social media users alleged the crowd was waiting for reimbursement promised by PAS for outstation voters. 

Voices complaining in the video had an East Coast accent.

However, others note that this was a video of the disbursement of the i-Belia cash aid for youths by the Terengganu government, before polling day.

It is likely to be the case, instead of disbursement of cash to voters, because the footage also showed the presence of police at the event. 

Another part of the video showed an individual with indelible ink on her finger, with the caption “RM100 je, haritu kata RM350” (Only RM100, the other day they promised RM350), indicating it happened on or after polling day.

However, the video of the hand holding the RM100 bill could have also been spliced with the crowd footage to make it appear like it is the same event.

The video was first uploaded on TikTok but has since gone viral on other platforms. However, the user who uploaded the video has deleted her TikTok account. 

Images, videos circulated by Harapan-aligned accounts

On Facebook, some users also upload photos of cash in “duit raya” envelopes featuring PAS logos, but it cannot be determined if the cash was payment to voters.

This is because such envelopes are commonly distributed by political parties to supporters for use during Hari Raya.

Meanwhile, a separate video was uploaded on TikTok by user @fawwazjohari showing a tent with a PAS banner promoting a candidate in Kelantan.

The video, which had no original audio, showed a man taking cash from his pocket and handing it to someone who was waiting while taking another slip of paper from another person.

The narrator implied that the money was for voting PAS, but this is not clear from the video as the exchange could be between party workers.

For example, it is common for locals to be hired on a cash basis to put up campaign material.

The account @fawwazjohari is aligned with Pakatan Harapan with the coalition’s logo featured as the profile picture.

The video is no longer on @fawwazjohari’s TikTok page, but it has been re-uploaded on the platform and on other social media by Harapan-aligned accounts.

Perikatan Nasional, of which PAS is a component party, won 73 parliamentary seats in the election, while Harapan won 82, followed by BN’s 30 seats and the rest by East Malaysian parties and independent candidates. - Mkini