KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — PAS today urged the Election Commission (EC) to conduct the coming Sungai Limau by-election in Kedah before Budget 2014 is tabled to avoid allegations of vote buying.
PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar expressed concern that the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition would take advantage of the various aid packages that will be announced by the prime minister to canvas for votes should the by-election be held after the Budget is tabled in Parliament.
”If it is held after the Budget, they cannot avoid the perception that the government will use the Budget announcements to win votes,” he said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby here.
”The EC would also be seen as being in cahoots with the government to influence the outcome of the by-election.”
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof was recently reported as saying that the Sungai Limau by-election, triggered by the death of assemblyman Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak, will be held before November 27 this year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to present the Budget for 2014 on October 25.
According to by-election rules, the EC must set a polling date that falls within 60 days of a seat being vacated for whatever reason.
Azizan, who was Kedah PAS commissioner and one-term Kedah mentri besar, died on Sept 26 after a long battle with diabetes.
He was hospitalised a day after the May 5 General Election due to diabetes-related complications, and later had to have both his legs amputated.
He had earlier retained his state seat with a 2,774 majority.
Mahfuz today noted that holding an early by-election works out for parties on both sides of the divide, as it could be set on a date before Umno’s supreme council party polls scheduled for October 19, at the same time giving PAS breathing room to hold its own round of party polls this November 22 to 24.
”I don’t think that it would be too short notice to hold it before the Budget. If it is held before Hari Raya Haji, then maybe it would be too tight,” he said, referring to the Muslim Aidil Adha celebration this October 15.
PAS election director Dr Hatta Ramli added that the authorities should refrain from repeating what they did in last July’s Kuala Besut by-election, where over 3,000 police officers were stationed over the course of the campaign and polls period.
”There were so many police officers, that the police to voter ratio was 1:5. The budget to mobilise this many policemen went beyond RM8 million.
”I agree that you need a few more officers, but not this many. It is not necessary to take up so much of the police’s workforce, and it will only disturb the psyche of the voters,” he said.
Mahfuz, meanwhile, said the party will announce its candidate for the impending by-election as they come close to nomination day.
He said they are confident of retaining the seat, but will still mobilise the constituency’s polls machinery to make sure the party comes out the victor.
