Penang to set up election fraud inquiry panel
The Penang government will set up a state-level commission of inquiry to investigate incidents of fraud and other election offences that affected the recently concluded 13th general election.
The Penang government will set up a state-level commission of inquiry to investigate incidents of fraud and other election offences that affected the recently concluded 13th general election.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said he consulted constitutional law expert Tommy Thomas on this and was advised to proceed with appointing a commission "with the widest terms of reference, if it is so minded to do".
Lim will table a proposal for establishing the commission of inquiry at the first meeting of the new state executive council tomorrow.
"Giving out money before, during and after elections is an offence. But since there is yet to be any action from the police, Election Commission and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, we are considering an alternative," Lim told a press conference at Komtar today.
"We will do this parallel to the reports lodged with the police, EC and MACC. We do not have much faith in these agencies, which is why we considered the idea of the inquiry commission.
"We feel depressed that no action has been taken despite the reports lodged. We cannot wait and do nothing," he said.
Thomas, in a letter to Lim on May 9, said the country's Commission of Inquiry Act 1950 gives power to both federal and state authorities to appoint such commissions.
DCM I Rashid to compile the evidence
Lim said Datuk Keramat assemblyperson and lawyer Jagdeep Singh Deo and his legal adviser Andrew Yong would assist the state in the setting up of the commission of inquiry.
Deputy Chief Minister I Rashid Hasnon has been tasked with collecting all the documents related to election offences.
Meanwhile, Rashid, who led a Pakatan Rakyat team to lodge a report with the MACC this morning, expressed disappointment with the comment made by an MACC officer.
"The officer told me there is no need to lodge the report since I won my seat," the Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson said.
Jagdeep (right), a new face in the state exco, called on the EC and MACC to take appropriate action on the allegations of vote buying.
"We urge them to let the people continue to still have some faith in them. Winning or losing a seat is not the criteria to lodge a report on these claims," Jagdeep said.
On who the culprits being the allegations of vote buying were, he said the police must investigate, for the law was very clear that the incidents reported were "acts of bribery".
Jagdeep said he himself had witnessed such activity in his constituency on the Monday before the May 5 polling day.
On a similar note, the state Information Department is organising a forum titled "The Real Reason why Pakatan Rakyat Won the Popular Vote in GE13".
The forum will be opened by Lim and will feature Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad of PAS, Ong Kian Ming of DAP and Rafizi Ramli of PKR, with DAP Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari as the moderator.
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