BN’s Dirty By-election Tricks

The pamphlets Datuk Ng Yen Yen

Ever since the general election in March 2008, we’ve had quite a number of by-elections. So far, by-elections were held in Permatang Pauh (Penang), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), Bukit Gantang (Perak), Bukit Selambau (Kedah), & Batang Ai (Sarawak)…& the score is 4 for PR, & 1 for BN.BN only won Batang Ai (that too with serious cheating allegations).

Throughout these by-elections, many dirty tricks & cheap shots have been given out to PR. Here’s a list of them, followed by details.

1. Character assassination

2. Vote rigging

3. Lavish gifts

4. Bribes

5. Help from Election Commission

6. Police tolerating BN, but not PR.

Character assassination

One recent example of this was when Tun Mahathir gave a speech in Bukit Gantang while he was campaigning for BN. He told people there not to be duped by Anwar. Well, anyone can also say, don’t be duped by Mahathir. Tun M’s hypocritical speech can be seen here.

Typical of BN for giving speeches that ridicule & insult their opponents. Have PR dudes done that ? Well, I don’t see PR speeches highlighted negatively in the media. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

Vote rigging

Vote rigging has been reported to have happened in all the by-elections. This includes phantom voters, vote buying, and many citizens suddenly finding themselves not eligible to vote.

Lavish gifts

Noticed how whenever a by-election is coming, BN does a lot of nice things for the people. For example, ex-PM Datuk Badawi slashed petrol prices just days before the Permatang Pauh by-election.

During the Permatang Pauh by-elections, Datuk Najib said that he would approve scrap metal collector's licence for the Indians. Can you believe the audacity of this man ? Najib also announced financial aid for three Tamil schools and six Chinese schools.

During the Kuala Terengganu (KT) by-elections, Najib gave goodies to the Chinese community such as:

(1) RM3.3 million for construction of a new community hall.

(2) RM2.8 million for furbishing a completed hall in a Chinese school.

(3) RM3 million for 10 Chinese schools.

(4) RM2.7 million cash distribution to 9,000 Chinese for the coming Chinese New year (this annual payment was brought forward)

(5) Miscellaneous payments to temples, guilds and other community bodies.

Najib also gave out 583 government contracts in a “lucky draw” to all Class F contractors present at the Wisma Darul Iman in KT days before the election. These contracts (valued between RM30,000 to RM200,000 each), were claimed to be for infrastructure works in the local township, were distributed randomly by having the contractors come on stage to click on a computer.

When a button was pressed, a contract would be awarded to the contractor, details like nature of works and contract price would appear in a big screen in the hall. Thus the contractor would walk home with his/her “prize” (a contract with a pre-determined price), with no questions asked on his/her track record or suitability for the works assigned.

Now firstly, contracts for infrastructure works are usually awarded gradually over a period of time, as and when the needs for such works arise, as determined and initiated by the engineers and the local authorities.

These contracts are never awarded by the hundreds in a single day anywhere on Earth. There is no justification to cram such a large number of projects at once, especially when they are confined to a small town like KT. Massive wastages and redundancies will be the inevitable consequences. It’s an irresponsible act of public squandering.

Then, what about the track records and skill compatibility of the contractors with respect to the projects at hand? Without proper interview & inspection of the awardees, how can the government be certain that the projects are awarded to the right contractors?

Next, there is the question of price. Without tenders or negotiation, how can the government ensure fair pricing ?

Heck, just a day before the Batang Ai by-elections, 32 people there received their citizenship from ex-home minister Datuk Syed Hamid Albar. This was beautifully published in the NST. Isn’t it ironic to hand out 32 citizenships at a certain place just before its by-election ? Why couldn’t he give it earlier ?

They’ll promise you heaven & earth when a by-election is close, but how many of those promises are kept, I bet most aren’t.

Bribes, a.k.a “financial aid” in BN terms

This has been happening for ages. One example is Datuk Ng Yen Yen of the MCA who was reported giving out RM 200 to each senior citizen voter during the Permatang Pauh by-elections.

Best part is, they call it “financial aid”. Hello, that’s a bribe ! Why give bribes when you’re already promising heaven & earth anyway ?

Help from Election Commission (EC)

The EC seems to be quite helpful to BN. For example, the EC’s electoral boundaries have been drawn and redrawn over the past five decades to favour BN. Moreover, all by-elections, except Kuala Terengganu were held on a week day, and they all fell on a Tuesday. No justification was given either. This helps BN by reducing voter turnout and increases their chances of winning.

Police tolerating BN, but not PR

PR was ordered by the police to not talk about Altantuya or the Perak Sultan’s decision while campaigning, but BN can talk whatever they want. Where’s the democracy ?

BN can distribute pamphlets in Bukit Gantang regarding Elizabeth Wong’s nude pictures scandal, but the police didn’t take any action on them. I bet if PR talked about Chua Soi Lek’s sex tape scandal, the police would be very efficient.

Police set a permit with one of the conditions saying all political ceramah’s must end at 11pm. A ceramah at Bukit Gantang by BN ended at 11.50pm, long after the deadline, but no police action was taken.

It’s also common news that many ceramah’s made by PR are disrupted by the police. Have the police ever disrupted any BN ceramah ?