EC passes buck to MACC over PM’s Sibu ‘offer’
The Election Commission claimed it had no power to probe allegations Datuk Seri Najib Razak had committed an election offence during the Sibu by-election with his pitch to solve flash floods there if Barisan Nasional retained the Parliamentary seat.
Written by G.Manimaran and Neville Spykerman, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — The Election Commission claimed it had no power to probe allegations Datuk Seri Najib Razak had committed an election offence during the Sibu by-election with his pitch to solve flash floods there if Barisan Nasional retained the Parliamentary seat.
Instead, the Election Commission (EC) told DAP chairman Karpal Singh to take his complaint against the prime minister to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“We can still take the complaint but will refer it to the MACC,” said EC deputy chairman Datuk Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, adding they had no authority to investigate the alleged “promise” made by Najib, in his capacity as PM and finance minister.
The veteran lawyer has said Najib’s last-minute pitch on the eve of the by-election, when he announced an allocation of RM5 million for flood-mitigation projects in Rejang Park, was an election offence.
“If Robert Lau becomes the MP on Sunday, on Monday I will ask [for] the cheque to be prepared. Do we have a deal or not? We do! You want the RM5 million, I want Robert Lau to win,” Najib told the crowd last Saturday.
Karpal had described the PM’s statement as “disturbing,” “shameful” and “unprecedented” because it breached the Election Offences Act.
He had called on both the EC and MACC to investigate the case.
But Wan Ahmad said the Election Offences Act only governed offences by candidates and their agents.
He also said other persons, included cabinet ministers, who make promises cannot be charged for the offence of inducement or bribery under the Act.
“We cannot investigate anything other than what’s specified under the Act… we don’t have the power.”
However, Section 10 of the Act which covers bribery during elections uses the words “every person would be liable for an offence”.
