KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — Several experts have reportedly pointed out that political coalitions that decide against dissolving their state assemblies may enjoy an unfair advantage over the rest, as they could use the resources at their disposal to campaign for the upcoming general election (GE15).
Malay daily Berita Harian reported them saying that unlike a caretaker government, the still-active state governments can announce policies and projects that can influence voters’ decisions.
"The administrations that don’t want to seek the consent of the rulers to dissolve their state assemblies are not affected," Universiti Malaysia Pahang's academic Datuk Wan Ahmad Fauzi Wan Hussain reportedly said.
"Because our Consitution has already explained the relationship between the state and the federal administration within their respective frameworks. However, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has recommended a committee be formed to supervise the situation to make sure there isn’t any abuse of power during the campaigning period,” he added.
Former Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof clarified there is no conflict for standing governments to make any announcement as most projects were already approved prior to the campaigning period.
"No issues if the state leader approves projects during the campaigning period because they are already under the approved state budgets of the previous year.
"Only the caretaker government is not allowed to do that,” he added.
Despite that, Ilham Centre's chief researcher Mohd Yusri Ibrahim cautioned that using public funds for campaigning is unethical.
He added that both active and caretaker governments should not abuse their powers as it shows a lack of integrity and goes against democratic values.
"All political parties and candidates that are contesting should compete equally to introduce their ideas to the voters.
"General election is a democratic stage for the people to choose the government and the race must be run on a levelled playing field,” said Mohd Yusri, urging the EC to monitor such abuses.
