By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 15: PKR failed to lodge a Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) report against Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah for running a lucky draw as part of his election campaigning.
Abdul Karim has denied any wrongdoing as it was an effort to encourage constituents to go out and vote.
According to Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) election director Dominique Ng who went to MACC Sarawak headquarters together with the party’s N15 Asajaya candidate Mahmud Epah today, the officers had refused their efforts to file their complaint over an alleged corrupt practice by Abdul Karim during the campaigning period.
They made the move after getting hold of a video of Abdul Karim, the Asajaya incumbent, giving a talk to his constituents saying that he is holding a lucky draw offering prizes like kitchen and household appliances, not to buy votes but to enliven the election atmosphere and encourage voters to go out and vote during the 12th Sarawak Election on Dec 18.
“When requesting for the complaint form, the officers said they needed to get approval from KL. When I asked the officers to give their names and ranks, they also refused. This is unacceptable.
“I was very upset about the whole situation as they (officers) were giving us the runaround when we were just exercising our duties as citizens,” Ng said in several voice messages posted on a PKR media group chat today.
While there, he alleged, they instead were targeted by MACC and treated like culprits. Ng claimed they were surrounded by at least six officers in an intimidating way.
Ng thus questioned the role of MACC, whether it is supposed to be an anti-corruption commission or to protect ministers from reports lodged against them.
“Is that what MACC is supposed to be doing — stopping us from lodging a report and sitting on the reports doing nothing?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Abdul Karim said there was no offence committed when he was just advising constituents to go out and vote as what Election Commission (EC) had advised voters.
“There is no giving out of money or things in kind for them to vote for me. Watch and hear the video,” he added. — DayakDaily
