GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at those who justified cash handouts during an election by labelling it as donations, saying that it was just another form of corruption.
While he did not name anyone, his comments came in the wake of a recent statement made by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang in response to petitions filed by Terengganu Umno to nullify results of the 15th general election (GE15) in three constituencies in the east coast state.
Anwar said having such a view would only result in a corrupt society with the country incurring great losses.
“Almsgiving is ok, but such handouts to win votes during an election is corruption,” he told a crowd during a Chinese New Year open house hosted by Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow here.
Hadi had previously said those caught on video handing cash to voters were merely doing charity work.
The Marang MP said election laws stipulated that only candidates and their agents were barred from giving cash handouts.
His comments drew brickbats from various quarters, who said that the Election Offences Act 1954 clearly prohibited such acts.
Yesterday, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi slammed Hadi’s remarks, noting that the latter would have labelled it as corruption if other parties had employed similar tactics.
