During Barisan Nasional’s long years in power, the peninsula saw a string of by-elections, while East Malaysia held its own state polls.
In the run-up to these votes, BN had a habit that many saw as unfair. The party in power would announce multi-million-ringgit development projects just before polling day.
This put financially weaker opposition parties like the DAP and PKR at a clear disadvantage.
As an opposition leader at the time, the DAP’s Lim Kit Siang often challenged these campaign-period pledges, calling them political bribes meant to sway local voters.
What is striking is that the same behaviour Lim once criticised is now being repeated by a DAP leader in Pakatan Harapan’s own government.
Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced just two days before nomination day that Putrajaya had allocated RM216m for housing, public amenities and community welfare in Johor.
Nga said the funds, released under the first rolling plan of the 13th Malaysia Plan, cover affordable housing, maintenance of stratified housing, public amenities, community safety, solid waste management and rural development.
- Sign up for Aliran's free daily email updates or weekly newsletters or both
- Make a one-off donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN), Maybank a/c 507246118995 or CIMB a/c 8004240948
- Make a regular pledge or periodic auto-donation to Aliran
- Become an Aliran member
A defence that raises questions
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has since defended Nga, who faced heavy criticism for timing the announcement to coincide with the Johor state election.
Anwar said the projects had already been approved in this year’s budget and so did not breach election rules.
But in a hotly contested election, the timing of the announcement inevitably looks political. It is hard to read it any other way.
Is this not the same prime minister who has long argued against this very practice? Anwar has repeatedly spoken out against using government machinery to announce new projects or policies during campaigns, citing Section 24B of the Election Offences Act 1954.
The Association for Welfare, Community and Dialogue takes the view that even a pre-planned project should count as new if it has never been publicly announced before.
There is a clear pattern here: using material inducements to outdo political rivals.
What Johor voters should weigh
It is time for the people of Johor to look closely at the candidates before them and how they reach out to voters – instead of being pre-occupied with ethno-religious rhetoric or promised development.
The real issue is the act of announcing project funding right before an election, the motive behind the timing, and what this means for the integrity of the vote – now and in future.
Malaysia needs a level playing field in its elections, so that voters can make informed choices based on the issues that actually affect them.
It is disappointing that the Electoral Commission has stayed silent – offering no statement on what should count as an ethical breach in the election process.
PH’s leadership appears to have adopted an ‘ends justify the means’ approach, where questionable tactics are excused as long as the results meet their expectations.
Ultimately, it is hoped that the people of Johor will judge candidates on the principles they stand for.
The real reform has to start with voters, not with politicians who cannot be trusted to lead it.
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
