Cash handouts come with good intentions, that is what matters, say Hamzah

CHERAS: Cash handouts during election campaigning should not be magnified as it is the intentions of such handouts which matter most, said Opposition Chief Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

The Perikatan Nasional secretary-general and Larut MP also stated that it was the people who requested such handouts from the party candidates for various purposes such as house repairs and that accepting such cash should not be made into an issue.

He was speaking to the media after attending a Gerakan Chinese New Year open house with Perikatan Nasional party presidents Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and Datuk Dr Dominic Lau.

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"When we talk about giving money, what is important is the intention.

"It is not about accepting what we give (cash handouts) but it is the people who ask from the candidates for house repairs and as such. We have to be very careful as to the intentions," said Hamzah.

He was asked to comment on the recent statement by Abdul Hadi that PAS did hand out cash to voters during the 15th General Election (GE15).

On Jan 21 (Saturday), Abdul Hadi then said that it was not against election rules as the money was distributed for "charity" and existing campaigning rules only prohibited contesting candidates and their representatives from giving cash to voters.

Umno president and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had also slammed Abdul Hadi's statement.

"If he does it, it is a charitable act, but if others do it, it is corruption," said Zahid, at the MCA Chinese New Year 2023 reception on Sunday (Jan 22).