DPM: Election goodies not bribes
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider
KERDAU, March 4 — The millions of ringgit Barisan Nasional (BN) has earmarked for Kerdau since the start of campaigning does not amount to bribery, the deputy prime minister has said.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reasoned that the use of federal funds to upgrade and build much-needed infrastructure here was not a bribe as it was for the common good and not the benefit of individual voters.
“I don’t think that can be interpreted as bribery,” he told reporters today.
The Umno deputy president said the vote-buying claims showed that PR did not respect the intelligence of voters and their ability to make choices.
“As though they’d fall for gifts,” he said in Kampung Badok here.
Muhyiddin had only earlier approved RM400,000 for a new village mosque.
Pakatan Rakyat (PR) accused BN of trying to bribe its way to victory in Kerdau after the prime minister pledged nearly RM10 million to upgrade the Batu Sawar water pump and build a hall and temple for the Chinese and Indians here.
