Election Offences Act suitably clear on polls dos and don'ts, says Azam

PUTRAJAYA: There is no need for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to draw up guidelines specifically on the issue of awarding aid and assistance during elections, says Tan Sri Azam Baki (pic).

The MACC chief commissioner said this was because the matter is clearly stated and explained in the Election Offences Act 1954.

"The Act, especially Section 10, is clear about the dos and don'ts during elections. I don't think we need to have (more) guidelines for this.

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"What is important is that all parties understand and take heed of the Act," he told reporters after launching the graft-buster's body camera initiative on Monday (July 31).

On Friday (July 28), the government said it had awarded grants of RM100,000 to the Terengganu Tengah Youth Development Council Federation (Ketengah) and RM250,000 to Terengganu Youth Council.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said in Dungun that he approved the allocation and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would increase the amount.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, claimed that the allocation would be given if youths in Terengganu "rode the red and blue waves in the state" in the upcoming polls.

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The announcement was then labelled as a form of vote-buying by other quarters.

However, Azam had said there was no element of corruption in the government awarding the grants.

He said they were a government initiative and not a form of vote-buying.

"This is a ruling government which (is able to) implement (an) initiative which is beneficial to the people.

"To me, there is no problem with the grant ... it is not a form of bribery," he was quoted as saying.