Hadi: Handouts were charity, not against GE15 rules

 

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has defended the party’s distribution of cash to voters during the 15th general election (GE15), claiming that it was a charitable act and hence, not prohibited by electoral law.

The Malaysian Insight (TMI) quoted the Marang MP as saying existing rules only prohibited contesting candidates and their representatives from giving cash to voters.

“According to election law, a candidate or a candidate’s representative cannot give out cash money, it is up to the public to give alms,” Hadi told reporters after attending the Semarak Gelombang Rakyat event with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Negeri Sembilan this morning.

The petitions filed by BN to challenge the election outcomes for three Terengganu parliamentary seats were described as a tactical move by the PN deputy chairperson.

On Jan 3, the Terengganu Umno liaison body filed election petitions to annul the results of the recent general election (GE15) for the Kuala Terengganu, Marang and Kemaman parliamentary constituencies.

The petition filed in the Kuala Terengganu High Court was in accordance with the Election Offences Act 1954.

Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said

Terengganu Umno chief Ahmad Said said the petition raised allegations that PAS had bribed voters by distributing financial aid from the state government through the i-Pension, i-Belia and i-Student initiatives between Nov 15 and 17, 2022 - which was just a few days before GE15.

He said Terengganu Umno hoped that polls could be held again in the three areas, citing the Cameron Highlands by-election in 2018 as a precedent.

A BN candidate in GE15, Ahmad lost the Kemaman parliamentary seat to PAS’ Che Alias Hamid, who won with a majority of 27,179 votes.

Hadi retained the Marang seat with a majority of 41,729 votes – defeating three others.

Amzad Hashim, a PAS candidate who defeated three other candidates by a margin of 40,907 votes, retained the Kuala Terengganu seat. - Mkini