16 Jan 2019

Press statement by MCA Vice President Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker


Petrol allowance contradictory lies. Pakatan failed to uphold laws and ethics in by-election campaign

The Cameron Highlands by-election has exposed the hypocrisy and double standards of Pakatan in which each of them has issued contradictory statements with attempts to cover up their unethical behaviours in the by-election.


This only affirms that Pakatan is increasingly disregarding the rules, ethics and expectations of the Rakyat. Pakatan resorted to intimidation, undue influence and corrupt practices forbidden by the Election Offences Act, 1954.   

This repeated and disgraceful acts and tactics by Pakatan leaders reflect their winning “by hook or crook” advocated by their leaders. This continued practice will only stain our democratic process, especially the Cameron Highlands by-election which was held on the very basis of disapproving such corrupt practices. How can Pakatan disregard what they had advocated, preached and promised so soon after the event of the Court’s ruling.

As what we can see from the news and social media, pictures depicting a woman wearing Pakatan T-shirt, handing out money to the Orang Asli at an event have gone viral. This was later dismissed as petrol allowance by Arvind Bharet, assistant head of the Jelai PH operations centre and DAP veteran.

However, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad had denied giving out money two days ago, and informed that people were assisted through the distribution of development grants.

Tun Dr Mahathir’s attempt to divert failed as he is obviously unaware that DAP has admitted to paying the money. Is Pakatan resorting to lying in “broad daylight” now that they got away with lying in their election Manifesto?

Secondly, Chiong Yoke Kong, Tanah Rata campaign manager, has also admitted that these Orang Asli reached the destination by bus. He also asked: "What is wrong with a Pakatan bus ferrying volunteers?"

There is no problem with a Pakatan bus ferrying volunteers of course. But the money given earlier was claimed to be petrol allowance for volunteers. How can they take the petrol allowance when they arrived there by bus?

In order to rationalise its move of giving out money in open which constitutes an act of bribery, Pakatan tries desperately to clarify, but each clarification only show their increasing arrogance and disregard for the New Malaysia that the Rakyat have voted in.

In the past, Pakatan took on the moral high ground to criticise Barisan Nasional, while dodging its own faults using another set of standards. This is hypocrisy of the highest order now.

The Cameron Highlands by-election was initiated because of the Election Court’s ruling that the Barisan Nasional candidate had allegedly committed an act of vote-buying and bribery in the last general election. But now who is buying votes? It is very clear.

Based on the same moral high ground, we urge Pakatan Harapan to withdraw from contesting in the by-election and return a clean and undisputed by-election to Cameron Highlands.

Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker
MCA Vice President


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