You listed our by-election offences, but what about Pakatan’s? Umno asks Bersih 2.0

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 — Umno youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has denied any wrongdoing as alleged by Bersih in the Cameron Highlands by election last month, and has instead accused the latter of being biased against Barisan Nasional.

In a statement issued here today, Asyraf said that Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann was being prejudiced when naming him and PAS Youth chief Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi for allegedly playing up racial and religious issues while at the same time ignoring the same offences by Pakatan Harapan and DAP.

“Why is it every time there is emphasis on the special position of Islam and Malay-Bumiputera, it is immediately assumed to be racist but when DAP fights for equality which indirectly means taking away our rights as stated in the Constitution, that’s not considered as raising racial issues and being racist?

“If it is true that Bersih is impartial and not a tool of PH, why not also expose all the election offences committed by PH and DAP as well?” he asked.

He named 12 instances which he said could be considered racist including several statements from DAP candidate M. Manogaran, who said Malays do not buy local kuih from Orang Asli stalls, and will not vote for an Orang Asli.

He also said Manogaran had said “Orang Melayu akan tanya: kenapa tak ada calon orang Melayu? Kenapa letak Orang Asli? Orang Cina, India juga tidak akan undi Orang Asli.”

He also alleged that Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng had said that if BN won in Cameron Highlands, a non-Muslim would not get to be a minister, “or even an MP.”

Asyraf also pointed to the distribution of election flyers in Mandarin which claimed “A new Government, New Hope, and Better Chinese Education,” which he said was focused on the importance of one race.

On election offences, he said money was given out to Orang Asli on the pretense of “fuel money” as well as hampers as a form of bribery; a PH senator had threatened to not pay Orang Asli their dues if they did not support PH; while government vehicles were used to transport people for the campaign.

“They also stopped the vehicle belonging to the BN candidate to seize a cellphone which recorded proof of PH committing election offences,” he said.

“Bersih should state their position clearly whether these statements are considered racial or election offences.

“We want to know what the true motive of Bersih is, and if they claim to be really clean, these should also expose PH’s offences to the authorities for action and prove they are no longer tools of the PH government,” he said.

Yesterday, Fann said that BN was found to have committed the highest number of “identity politics” offences during the January 12 to January 26 campaign.

“Identity politics” is the use of race and religion to campaign for votes.

It also said it detected the highest use of communal politics and improper use of government assets since the change of government last year.