Post-election payouts: Case closed by MACC

Th Penang MACC closed its case on the GE13 vote-buying in Penang despite an Aliran team witnessing people queuing up for post-election payouts.

The Aliran team came up with a couple of revealing photo stories of the incident – which were published on the Aliran website. But strangely – but I guess not surprisingly – Aliran was not contacted by the Penang MACC before the case was closed.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, who also witnessed the payouts, issued the following media release.

Penang MACC should reopen “Lucky Bonus” vote-buying case instead of self-congratulating

4 September 2013

It was reported yesterday that the Penang MACC has almost achieved its KPI of 30 arrests this year. To date, they have made 28 arrests. They are quite happy for this performance and so do I. However, I would like to offer my suggestion and assistant to help them excel at their KPI to become the best performing MACC in the entire country.

The following is what the Penang MACC should do. They should reopen files where Pakatan Rakyat candidates have lodged reports on suspected vote buying activities by the 1Malaysia Welfare Club during the GE13. On the 13th of May, 2013, 7 reports were made by Parti Keadilan candidates.

During the campaign period, tens of thousands of Penang voters were treated to free food, free drinks and free entertainment programmes. They were given “lucky bonus” vouchers to redeem cash if BN won. True, as claimed, a week after the election several outlets started giving out cash for areas where BN candidates had won. Penang voters experienced these vote buying activities first hand. Everyone could see it, feel it, and receive it (lucky bonus vouchers). It was a massive, well planned, and well executed plot involving millions of ringgit and hundreds of operatives.

If the MACC wants to seriously pursue this case, they can find hundreds of suspects involved in vote buying activities. This will help them excel in their KPI. Unfortunately, the Penang MACC Chief, Samarajoo, closed the case on the 9th of July, 2013 saying that the MACC found no criminal elements and that there was a lack of evidence in the case.

In relation to the aforementioned, one of the major campaign issues raised by Pakatan Rakyat is on the problem of rampant corruption. The fact is, 51% of voters supported Pakatan Rakyat to be tough when addressing corruption. In July 2013, Transparency International-Malaysia’s (TI-M) Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) reported that only 31% of Malaysians are confident with the MACCC’s performance. This is a historic low. The MACC has disappointed the voters of Penang by not prosecuting the perpetrators of the “lucky bonus” activities.

I have protested against the decision in Parliament. Deputy Minister, Dato Razali Ibrahim, from the Prime Minister’s Department replied saying that the MACC’s advisory panel could review this decision. Instead of being self-congratulatory in achieving their KPI (as reported yesterday), Penang MACC will be judged by the public on their action against vote buying activities. I urge the MACC to reopen the “Lucky Bonus” vote buying case instead.

Sim Tze Tzin
MP for Bayan Baru

Kenyataan Media YB Sim Tze Tzin

4 September 2013

Mengikut laporan akhbar pada 3hb September, Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Pulau Pinang telah berjaya mencapai KPI pada tahun ini dengan penangkapan hampir 30 suspek rasuah. Setakat ini, SPRM Pulau Pinang telah berjaya menangkap 28 suspek rasuah. Mereka agak gembira atas prestasi mereka, saya juga tumpang kegembiraan. Akan tetapi saya ingin mencadang kepada SPRM Pulau Pinang, sekaligus menjadikan SPRM Pulau Pinang antara yang terbaik di negara ini.

Berikut ialah adalah cadangan saya kepada SPRM Pulau Pinang. Sebanyak 7 laporan SPRM telah dilakukan oleh pemimpin PKR pada 13hb Mei 2013 yang lalu mengenai kejadian kemungkinan pembelian undi oleh Kelab Kebajikan 1Malaysia di Pulau Pinang semasa pilihanraya umum yang lepas.

Semasa kempen PRU13, puluhan ribu pengundi di Pulau Pinang telah dihidangkan dengan jamuan makan, minum dan persembahan hiburan yang percuma. Pengundi di Pulau Pinang juga diberi baucar “bonus bertuah”, dimana pengundi dijanjikan akan menerima ganjaran berupa wang ringgit jikalau calon Bariasan Nasional (BN) menang. Kebetulan juga, seminggu selepas PRU, pengundi di kawasan calon BN yang menang telah mendapat ganjaran wang ringgit di beberapa tempat yang tertentu. Pengundi Pulau Pinang dapat nampak, merasai, dan mendapat (ganjaran bonus) hasil daripada aktivit ini. Aktiviti ini adalah terancang, dilaksana secara besar-besaran, dan melibatkan berjuta-juta wang ringgit dan ratusan petugas.

Jika SPRM Pulau Pinang mengambil sikap serius bagi meneruskan siasatan terhadap kes ini, mereka mungkin dapat mengenalpasti ratusan suspek yang terlibat dalam aktiviti membeli undi. Ini akan membantu SPRM Pulau Pinang mencapai tahap cemerlang dalam KPI mereka. Malangnya, Ketua SPRM Pulau Pinang Tuan Samarajoo telah menutup kes itu pada 9hb Julai 2013, dengan memaklumm kepada awam bahawa SPRM mendapati tiada unsur jenayah dan kekurangan bukti dalam kes ini.

Dalam kempen PRU, Pakatan Rakyat telah memberi prihatin yang utama terhadap pencegahan rasuah, dan majoriti 51% pengundi di Malaysia telah bersetuju dengan agenda yang dibawa oleh PR. Pada bulan Julai 2013, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) melaporkan bahawa hanya 31% rakyat Malaysia yakin dengan prestasi kerajaan pusat membanteras rasuah, dan ia adalah paling rendah dalam sejarah. Hakikatnya pengundi Pulau Pinang agak kecewa terhadap SPRM kerana tidak mendakwa orang-orang yang terlibat dalam aktiviti “bonus bertuah” .
Saya telah membantah keputusan menutup siasatan kes ini di sesi Parlimen yang lepas. Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Dato Razali Ibrahim menjawab dan mengatakan bahawa panel penasihat SPRM boleh menyemak semula keputusan ini. Daripada memuji sendiri dalam kecemerlangan pencapain KPI, SPRM akan dinilai oleh orang awam tindakan mereka terhadap kes ini. Saya menyeru SPRM Pulau Pinang boleh membuka semula siastan berkaitan pembelian undi di Pulau Pinang pada PRU13.

Sim Tze Tzin
Ahli Parlimen Bayan Baru.