NIBONG TEBAL: Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has defended his statement regarding allocation announcements during by-elections, saying that his comments were “based on court rulings".
The Umno supreme council member has challenged electoral reform group Bersih, who had criticised his statements, to take the matter to court.
"I am following the court decision. Isn’t Bersih all about upholding the law?
“I challenge Bersih to check and challenge that court case,” he said when speaking to the press after a unity talk held at Taman Sungai Duri in Kampung Sungai Duri here on Wednesday (June 26).
Ahmad, who is also the Deputy Works Minister, said he has followed all the by-elections since 1990 except the one in Batang Ai, Sarawak.
“I have been a politician for a long time so I know about this case," he said.
Bersih had taken Ahmad to task for saying that it was not an offence to announce allocations or organise programmes during by-elections.
In a statement, Bersih said Ahmad's claim would only perpetuate unethical practices.
It said that abusing government funds and machinery went against the principles of a clean and fair electoral process.
“It goes against the Prime Minister’s call for the Cabinet to adhere to the law throughout the Sungai Bakap by-election period,” the statement read.
On June 24, it was reported that Ahmad had said at a talk that announcing allocations or organising programmes was not an offence.
“The courts decided then that they (the ministers) were there based on their government leadership positions to meet the people. The court had ruled previously that the government has a right to announce anything, regardless of whether it is during a by-election or not.
"So it is not an offence,” said Ahmad.
