Under our Election Offences Act 1954, an Election Court may declare an election void upon a finding that general bribery or other misconduct has "so extensively prevailed that they may reasonably be supposed to have affected the result of the election". Bribery is proved if money was distributed to the voters, says Salbiah Ahmad in her column Corruption is no wheel of fortune.

Corruption, as I understand, is where public officials expect and are paid money to influence their discharge of public duties. This we all know is wrong. Public officials are not supposed to enrich themselves nor selectively discharge their functions to benefit selectively those who bribe them.

Pardon my warped sense of morality, the element I don't understand about our Election Offenses Act is why a candidate distributing monies to voters is corruption and bad. It is not like distributing monies to public officials!

What is wrong with voters voting for those who distribute money to them? Isn't democracy about meeting electorate's wishes? If voters are influenced according to distribution of monies and largesse by candidates, and not other more ennobled issues, who is to tell them better that they are not so entitled in a democracy?

Now a government or candidates of a political party that form the government are deemed good if upon being voted in, they bring economic development, and thus prosperity, to the constituency. So what is wrong if to show sincerity that they will do that when voted in, the candidates first give and distribute monies to voters to buy their votes?

Why is using money to buy votes more wrong than other means like promising them that they will eventually go to paradise? To get support politicians need to promise all kinds of things but when they give money to buy my vote, at least it is tangible, and benefit me as a voter rather than the other way around where politicians squander my money — tax payers money — by dipping their hands in it indirectly through contracts awarded, etc.

I understand that our Elections Offences (Amendment) Bill 2002 "spells tighter rules and regulations and higher penalties such as fines and jail terms for offenders. The new laws also make it an offence for politicians and parties to make seditious remarks, be they on posters, banners or during ceramah" (Opposition walks out after House voted to pass Election Bill).

There should be a further amendment that giving and distributing money to voters to buy their votes should not remain categorised as an election offence.