DEWAN RAKYAT: Unhappy with PM's reply on money politics

NST: 7 May 2008
SEVERAL MPs are unhappy with the written reply by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on money politics on Monday. Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) and R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang) were upset that Abdullah said the Anti-Corruption Agency did not receive any official complaint on money being given by Barisan Nasional to Kelantanese residing in Kuala Lumpur to return to their hometown and cast their ballots for the BN in the March 8 election.
“I’m surprised by his answer. I have pictorial evidence to show that Kelantanese voters residing in the city were given RM200 each at Bukit Jalil to go back and vote,” said Kok while showing two photos of voters queuing up and receiving the payments on her laptop.
Sivarasa said Bersih, a coalition which campaigned for a free and fair election, had a Press conference on March 17 on the matter and the statement and pictures were not only reported in the mass media, but also uploaded on blogs as well.
“As far as I know, ACA does not need an official complaint to initiate an investigation as long as it receives the information from known and anonymous sources. But the answer given is totally different.
“Why didn’t the ACA contact us?”