Now, DAP copycats free dinner to win voters
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http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/229121 |
While
Pakatan Rakyat is allegedly hit by vote buying free dinners and cash
dish outs by 1Malaysia Penang Welfare Club in Penang, Perak DAP also
held a similar feast at Sungai Siput last night.
However, DAP Jalong state seat candidate Loh Sze Yee claimed that supporters sponsored the dinner.
"So ,of course, as usual, DAP always does it (to) channel our funds from our supporters to all the other supporters, (the money is given) back to the public," he told Malaysiakini yesterday on the sidelines of the event.
Loh said that the dinner was held at the request of supporters, pointing out that the many were there for the ceramah as well.
Asked whether organising the dinner had violated section 8 of the Election Offence Acct 1954, his reply, "first of all, this dinner is paid for but it's paid by our supporters, but if you go on this line, I think you have to ask a lot other people (as well)."
The dinner was held at Phong Mun restaurant with 250 tables catering to over 1,000 people.
DAP also brought its Ubah truck to the scene for its ceramah.
Besides Loh, Perak DAP Socialist Youth secretary Howard Lee, Batu Gajah parliamentary seat candidate V Sivakumar and Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming were among those who addressed the crowd.
Law, no law, show goes on
Many braved the rain, sitting or standing by the roadside, sheltering under umbrellas listening to the speakers.
It's
also believed that this was the biggest dinner held by DAP in Sungai
Siput and managed to collect RM12,515 along with Rupiahs 20 million.
Treating or the giving of food, drink, refreshment or provision for the purpose of influencing voters is considered a violation under Section 8 of Election Offense Act 1954
Jalong falls under Sungai Siput Parliamentary seat where incumbent Loh is engaged in tussle with Liew Yew Aw (BN).
There's a three -cornered face-off in Sungai Siput, where the incumbent Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PSM-PKR) is facing SK Devamany (BN) and SP Nagalingam (Independent).
Interestingly, Jeyakumar was invited to the dinner but he defended DAP in this matter.
He said that people choose to ignore when BN misuses the law, Election Commission (EC) and the media, but criticises Pakatan for doing the similar things.
"If you want to criticise, you criticise the other side ten times more, then you criticise this, I will accept.
"How come when the BN does wrong, that's acceptable or it's not questioned, but a Pakatan (component) party also bends the rules in a similar way, it becomes very glaring?" he asked.
Nevertheless, he did agree that many things are wrong in principle and he think that Pakatan should legislate laws to prevent political partes from receiving corporate funds for campaign purposes after winning Putrajaya.
He stressed that the money should be distributed to political parties based on the popular votes they garnered in the last general election.
He added that using corporate funds to meet election expenses means they actually expect some understanding from the winner which is not good for the people
Organising free dinners with lucky draw sessions is the common trick adopted by the BN to win voters during elections.
It is learnt that BN was also holding a similar dinner simultaneously at Jalong new village last night, with 108 tables attended by more than 1,000 as well.
Former MIC president S Samy Vellu, Devamany and Liew were spotted at that dinner.
However, DAP Jalong state seat candidate Loh Sze Yee claimed that supporters sponsored the dinner.
"So ,of course, as usual, DAP always does it (to) channel our funds from our supporters to all the other supporters, (the money is given) back to the public," he told Malaysiakini yesterday on the sidelines of the event.
Loh said that the dinner was held at the request of supporters, pointing out that the many were there for the ceramah as well.Asked whether organising the dinner had violated section 8 of the Election Offence Acct 1954, his reply, "first of all, this dinner is paid for but it's paid by our supporters, but if you go on this line, I think you have to ask a lot other people (as well)."
The dinner was held at Phong Mun restaurant with 250 tables catering to over 1,000 people.
DAP also brought its Ubah truck to the scene for its ceramah.
Besides Loh, Perak DAP Socialist Youth secretary Howard Lee, Batu Gajah parliamentary seat candidate V Sivakumar and Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming were among those who addressed the crowd.
Law, no law, show goes on
Many braved the rain, sitting or standing by the roadside, sheltering under umbrellas listening to the speakers.
It's
also believed that this was the biggest dinner held by DAP in Sungai
Siput and managed to collect RM12,515 along with Rupiahs 20 million.Treating or the giving of food, drink, refreshment or provision for the purpose of influencing voters is considered a violation under Section 8 of Election Offense Act 1954
Jalong falls under Sungai Siput Parliamentary seat where incumbent Loh is engaged in tussle with Liew Yew Aw (BN).
There's a three -cornered face-off in Sungai Siput, where the incumbent Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PSM-PKR) is facing SK Devamany (BN) and SP Nagalingam (Independent).
Interestingly, Jeyakumar was invited to the dinner but he defended DAP in this matter.
He said that people choose to ignore when BN misuses the law, Election Commission (EC) and the media, but criticises Pakatan for doing the similar things.
"If you want to criticise, you criticise the other side ten times more, then you criticise this, I will accept.
"How come when the BN does wrong, that's acceptable or it's not questioned, but a Pakatan (component) party also bends the rules in a similar way, it becomes very glaring?" he asked.
Nevertheless, he did agree that many things are wrong in principle and he think that Pakatan should legislate laws to prevent political partes from receiving corporate funds for campaign purposes after winning Putrajaya.
He stressed that the money should be distributed to political parties based on the popular votes they garnered in the last general election.
He added that using corporate funds to meet election expenses means they actually expect some understanding from the winner which is not good for the people
Organising free dinners with lucky draw sessions is the common trick adopted by the BN to win voters during elections.
It is learnt that BN was also holding a similar dinner simultaneously at Jalong new village last night, with 108 tables attended by more than 1,000 as well.
Former MIC president S Samy Vellu, Devamany and Liew were spotted at that dinner.
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