PRESS STATEMENT 22 JUNE 2015
Elections rigged, EC knows and condones it
On Saturday Coalitions for Clean and Fair Elections (BERSIH 2.0) have expressed major concerns regarding the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report on the misuse of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds during the 13th General Elections.
In response to that the Elections Comission (EC) through its Chairperson, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof has advised us to gather evidence of the allegations put forth by the WSJ report and lodge a report with the relevant authorities for further investigations.
He further questioned the reason behind our questioning of election irregularities even after three years of GE-13.
As the EC Chairperson, Aziz should be concerned with the allegations made by the WSJ report, and he should himself initiate an investigation into it.
He should not, as he is apparently doing now, speak in a partisan manner, blinding himself from what is obvious. It is no wonder that the majority of Malaysians have no confidence in the EC as put forth in a survey by Merdeka Center.
Aziz should also note that BERSIH has conducted a lengthy People’s Tribunal, and have compiled evidence with regards to numerous irregularities during the last election. The EC should have acted on the People’s Tribunal report and by ignoring it, raised the question if they are condoning election irregularities.
The issue at hand, as evidenced in the WSJ report is unfettered political financing, made worse by the fact that the monies had come from a debt ridden company wholly owned by the Ministry of Finance, of which the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak chairs the Board of Advisors – the 1MDB.
It is every citizen’s right to question any electoral irregularities. The election petitions questioned such irregularities but were summarily dismissed on account of technicalities and not on merits or facts submitted to the courts.
BERSIH will continue to question and pressure for reform in the electoral system and processes.
Whereas EC, MACC and related institutions are duty-bound to act independently and initiate public investigation into the allegations made by a highly reputable publication, the Wall Street Journal.
Aziz dares challenge us to compile evidence (of which we have done) and report it to the relevant authorities (which we also did), because he knows that nothing will come out of it.
We therefore again call on the Prime Minister to refute these allegations, and take legal action in his capacity as the Chair of 1MDB’s Board of Advisors in which he holds all the knowledge behind 1MDB transactions, if he so believes the WSJ report is untrue.
Otherwise, he must resign.
Dikeluarkan oleh,
Jawatankuasa Pemandu BERSIH 2.0, yang terdiri daripada –
Pengerusi: Maria Chin Abdullah; Timbalan Pengerusi: Sarajun Hoda Abdul Hassan; Bendahari: Masjaliza Hamzah; wakil kebangsaan: Prof Madya Dr Abdul Halim bin Yusof, Farhana binti Abdul Halim, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri dan New Sin Yew; naib pengerusi: Jannie Lasimbang (Sabah), Ahmad b. Awang Ali (Sarawak), Abd Halim b. Wan Ismail (Semenanjung Timur), Thomas Fann (Semenanjung Selatan), Simon Lee Ying Wai (Semenanjung Tengah) dan Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon (Semenanjung Utara).