GE15: Bersih reminds PM to stop giving funds, announcing new policies now

SHAH ALAM – Election watchdog Bersih has told the prime minister not to dish out allocations and new policies as the Parliament has been dissolved.

Bersih Chairperson Thomas Fann said the current government is a caretaker government and using taxpayers money to fish votes for his political party is an abuse of state resources.

“It is obvious from the reported speech he gave that he was fishing or attempting to buy their votes with the allocation he gave.

“The ex-police must distinguish between the government as an institution and as a political party that forms the government after an election,” he told Sinar Daily.

On Oct 15, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced special funds of RM200,000 for Ex-Police Association of Malaysia and another RM100,000 for the Pahang Ex-Police Association in appreciation of their services.

Ismail said the provision was also introduced to guarantee that retired police officers’ welfare would be protected as they had contributed to upholding national security while in service.

However, Fann said announcing allocations or new policies after the dissolution of Parliament is considered a misuse of funds, regardless of the amount.

He said there are currently no inadequate laws to take action against politicians who abuse state resources during elections.

“It is unethical but not illegal at the moment. However, voters should judge them by their actions and punish them at the ballot box,” he added.

(First published by Sinar Daily, 16 October 2022: https://www.sinardaily.my/article/182042/ge-malaysia/ge15-bersih-reminds-pm-to-stop-giving-funds-announcing-new-policies-now)