PUTRAJAYA, Oct 5 — Parties who have information on the violation of any provision under the Election Offences Act 1954 are required to report the wrongdoing to the relevant investigation authorities.
In a statement today, Malaysian Election Commission chairman Azhar Azizan Harun said any allegation of violations of the provisions of the Act was within the jurisdiction of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
He said the EC does not have the power to investigate nor the power to prosecute the offences.
“In fact, the EC does not have the power to punish or investigate any candidate for the election or the party they represent for any breach of election law, especially the legislative provisions of the Act,” he said.
“With this the EC would like to advise all parties who have any information regarding the violation of any provision under the act, to report the violation to the relevant authorities,” he said.
He said the EC had set up an Election Campaign Enforcement Team (PP-KPR) to monitor the campaign process and activities throughout the by-election period in Sungai Kandis, Balakong, Seri Setia and also Port Dickson.
“If the PP-KPR has detected or witnessed any violation of the provisions under the Act either personally or directly, then the EC would not hesitate to report the violation to the relevant authorities,” he said.
However, Azhar Azizan said the EC would not report any breach of legal provisions that were not witnessed and directly detected by PP-KPR because in such circumstances they had no personal knowledge of the violations. — Bernama
