Why Malaysian elections cost billions

By MT Webmaster Last updated Aug 8, 2015

Well, at least now Dr Mahathir admits that he is aware that the RM2.6 billion that was alleged to have been banked into Najib’s personal bank account was to finance the 2013 general election. Actually, Dr Mahathir was aware from the very beginning and that is why he lamented that Najib won the 2013 general election because he spent so much money.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

If the RM200,000 per candidate limit for the parliament seats and the RM100,000 per candidate limit for the state seats is strictly observed, as the law requires, this would mean, first of all, that Barisan Nasional would not be able to win the elections. This is because ‘tanpa minyak jentera tak jalan’.

Translated into English that would mean ‘without fuel the machinery will not move’. Hence without money no one is going to do any work for the party. That, unfortunately, is the Umno and Barisan Nasional culture. There are no volunteers. You pay to get people to work.

In fact, I have personally seen in some places in Terengganu where the PAS markas received its packed lunch by 1.00pm while by 3.00pm the Umno markas still did not receive any food deliveries.

So the Umno machinery walked over to the PAS markas to join them for lunch and the PAS markas was crowded with workers from both political parties while the Umno markas was totally deserted.

Is it not the saying that an army fights on its stomach? So, if there is no food, drinks, fuel allowance (petrol chits), T-shirts, caps, cash, and so on, then no one is going to fight for you.

Then there is the cost to put up the flags, posters and banners, which are paid based on per unit. And if it rains that night then they need to put them up again the next morning and that would involve another payment.

So, yes, the parliament candidates personally spend RM200,000 for the election while the state candidates spend RM100,000. This is the official statement of accounts that is submitted to the Election Commission within six months after the election (if not then the candidate would be disqualified).

But that RM200,000 or RM100,000 is what the candidate personally spends and is what is officially declared in the accounts and submitted to the EC. That does not include what the party spends.

Technically, it is a grey area and the EC is fully aware of the violation of the election law and has known so for decades. But as long as the candidates submit their accounts within six months and the accounts show that the limit has not been exceeded then well and fine.

But what about all that ‘lain-lain’? The party flags and banners? The candidates’ election posters? The T-shirts and caps? The RM100 million worth of mineral water with the party logo printed on them? The packed food and petrol chits for the thousands of workers? The rental for vehicles to ferry the voters to the polling stations on polling day, with the drivers’ allowance thrown in?

Then there is the cost to set up the markas plus the stage for the nightly ceramah with PA system, chairs to be rented, and so on, thrown in. You also need tents and canvas in case it rains.

The logistics is crazy and the cost of all that even crazier. And when you detail this and total up the cost, RM1 billion is nothing. It hardly covers the logistics on the ground and then there is still the TV, radio, and newspaper advertising plus billboards and more to pay for.

Hell, the election manifesto alone in 2013 cost Barisan Nasional almost RM100 million to print and distribute all over Malaysia. That means the cost of the election manifesto alone cost more than the RM95 million maximum limit that is allowed under the law for the 222 parliament and 505 state seats.

In short, kalau kira halus (if audited with a fine-tooth comb) all Barisan Nasional’s candidates should be disqualified, as would the opposition candidates as well because the opposition, too, exceeded the limit.

The EC does not know this? Of course the EC does. The EC has known for a long, long time. And the EC knows that both sides of the political divide are equally guilty. So the opposition cannot complain because it, too, broke the election law although maybe not as bad as Barisan Nasional. Nevertheless, the opposition exceeded the limit as well.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad knows how much a general election costs. And Dr Mahathir knows that Barisan Nasional needs to spend more than a billion each election and that the cost goes up every election as the number of voters double and as it becomes harder and harder for Barisan Nasional to win the election unless they pour money into the election campaign.

Let me put it this way, never mind whoever that Prime Minister is. Even if Dr Mahathir himself were still Prime Minister today he would need to spend RM1.5 billion to RM2.5 billion if he wants Umno and Barisan Nasional to win the election, even with just a simple majority minus the two-thirds majority.

Using RM2.5 billion in a single election would breach existing rules governing limits on poll spending, said Dr Mahathir today. “If Umno needs RM2.5 billion for elections, it violates the election laws and regulations,” he said.

Actually, spending RM1.5 billion on an election like what Dr Mahathir used to do during his time is also a breach of election rules because the amount should not have exceeded RM95 million. So whether Najib spent RM2.5 billion while Dr Mahathir spent ‘merely’ RM1.5 billion makes no difference. Both are equally wrong.

If Najib had spent just RM1.5 billion like what Dr Mahathir did during his time, instead of RM2.6 billion, would that have been okay? Does not RM1.5 billion still exceed the RM95 million allowed under the law?

Dr Mahathir also admitted that Umno’s assets are held in trust under the names of three nominees that include the party president. However, said Dr Mahathir, the funds were kept in a designated bank account controlled by three people. (The issue here seems to be ‘controlled by three people’ as opposed to ‘controlled by one person’).

“Not a single sen from donations for elections were deposited into my account. I am prepared for all my personal accounts for 22 years to be vetted by impartial parties to verify if my claim is true or otherwise,” Dr Mahathir said in his blog posting today.

Yes, Dr Mahathir is right on that one. Trustees were used who in turn used nominees and proxies who in turn had sub-nominees and sub-proxies. And this is why RM100 billion or maybe even more of Umno’s wealth has disappeared.

Anwar Ibrahim claimed that a certain ‘trustee’ walked away with RM60 billion while another sapu RM40 billion. That is not what I say. That is what Anwar said. Maybe Anwar can repeat that allegation for the benefit of those who may have forgotten that he said that back in 1998.

Or is Anwar now going to deny he said that?

Raja Petra Kamarudin RPK