KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — The July 28 free durian event that has been postponed was sponsored by a private entity and not the Selangor government, one of the organisers said today.

An ad-hoc invite for PKR’s Sg Kandis candidate has been retracted.

Co-organiser Koperasi Warga Hijrah Selangor Berhad (Kohijrah) today told Malay Mail that the event was not organised by either Selangor Mentri Besar Amirudin Shari or the PKR candidate Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni — who were both named as "special guests” in posters for the event.

It said the duo were only invited on an "ad-hoc” basis and that no confirmation of attendance was received from them.

Kohijrah also said the two politicians were not involved in sponsoring the free durian event, clarifying that the sponsor is the cooperative of a private company called Nippon Electric Glass Malaysia (NEGM).

"The sponsorship for the giveaway of 1,000 durians for free in that event is fully sponsored by Koperasi NEGM Berhad as the programme organiser,” Kohijrah chairman Normaiza Yahya said in a written response to Malay Mail’s enquiries.

Malay Mail’s enquiries follows polls reform group Bersih 2.0’s statement yesterday, which claimed the event would amount to an election offence where voters are treated to influence their voting decisions.

Agreeing with Bersih 2.0’s assertion, Kohijrah said the organisers have decided to defer the free durian event to after the Sungai Kandis by-election that will be held on August 4.

"The purpose for the giveaway of 1,000 durians for free in that event was to celebrate the success in promoting the sale of kitchen equipment, Food Truck & Mobile Cart and rental of shelves that have been going on since July 14, 2018,” Kohijrah said, referring to its ongoing two-week carnival over food trucks and a convenience store held from July 14 to July 28.

In response to Bersih 2.0’s claims that the free durian event could be a conflict of interest and an abuse of government machinery, Kohijrah said its role was limited to exhibiting its food truck product.

"The giving of durians is sponsored by Koperasi NEGM (Koperasi Kakitangan Nippon Electric Glass Malaysia) that has no connections with government machinery,” it told Malay Mail.

Kohijrah said the organiser of the free durian event has "cancelled the invitations to the PKR candidate and the Selangor Mentri Besar”.

Kohijrah and Koperasi NEGM had previously issued a joint statement to clarify that the free durian event was a promotion on the last day of their two-week carnival that was pre-planned long before the Sungai Kandis by-election.

Bersih 2.0 had yesterday urged for the immediate cancellation of the free durian event, and urged both the Selangor mentri besar and the PKR candidate to provide a public explanation.

Both the Selangor Mentri Besar’s office and Zawawi himself have told reporters that the use of their photos on the posters for the now-shelved free durian event was without their permission.

The campaign period for the Sungai Kandis by-election is from July 21 to August 3, with polling day fixed for August 4.