MACC reportedly say that promises of development does not amount to corruptionsee report below)-however the promises could be made in the form of a ground breaking ceremony organised by a government agency with expenses shouldered by the public’s coffer during election period! If the MACC is serious about stopping corruption it should not turn the other ways when all and sundry can see with their own eyes that eg the UMNO president was promised government money to pay for flood mitigation projects in Rejang Park, Sibu during the by-election there! Multi-levels of corruption was committed-only if the MACC care to take it objectively!
Local
December 17, 2011
MACC: Be careful about ‘vote buying’
Candidates warned against handing out cash
ELECTION candidates must take care not to commit acts or make promises during campaigning that could be construed as vote-buying, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdul said such acts included handing out small amounts of cash to potential voters during campaigning, even if the receivers were not expressly asked to vote for the candidate.
“Legally, candidates are allowed to do so since there is no proof that someone would vote for a party or candidate when given a small amount of cash.
“However, they should refrain from doing so as it is morally wrong,” he said.
He said candidates could be charged if they were found to have expressly asked those who received the cash to vote for them.
He also clarified that election promises to bring development to constituents, in the form of new schools, parks, highways and roads, employment opportunities, were not tantamount to vote-buying.
“Such campaign promises or election manifestos are allowed as they are intended to benefit the public, no matter who they voted for.
“It is only considered corruption if the benefit was extended to certain individuals in exchange for their vote.”
Meanwhile, on Malaysia’s fall to 60th place on the Corruption Perception Index published by global watchdog Transparency International, Shukri said corruption formed only a small part of the studies used to determine the findings.
He said as such, the index only measured perceptions of corruption rather than the actual level of corruption.
lucia
democracy4now
sicnewsmirisite
timchoo
TP
