Ex Dap Man Urges Macc To Probe Vote Buying Claims In Party Polls

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Urimai secretary Satees Muniandy said he was told by a life member of DAP that vote-buying had allegedly crept into the election process for top leadership posts. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: A former DAP assemblyman has urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe allegations of vote-buying in the run-up to the party’s elections for its central executive committee (CEC) this weekend.

In a statement, Satees Muniandy said the anti-graft agency could not turn a blind eye to the allegations.
He also said he was prepared to lodge an official complaint to demand accountability.
“If MACC is truly committed to fighting corruption, it must take decisive action,” he said, citing an incident in 2018 where the anti-graft agency had arrested two Kedah PKR divisional leaders over bribery in party elections.
Satees, who is now with Urimai, said he was told by a life member of DAP that vote-buying had allegedly crept into the election process for top leadership posts.
“In the past, internal elections were influenced by factional lines, often accompanied by last-minute smear campaigns. However, this time, outright money politics appears to be in play,” the Urimai secretary said.
He said delegates were allegedly being offered cash in the guise of “travel allowances” and a weekend stay at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
According to multiple sources, he said, a Penang MP and assemblyman were purportedly involved in securing votes for their political superior.
“A five-star hotel has reportedly been booked almost entirely to accommodate these delegates, who are expected to vote as instructed. Some delegates I spoke to personally confirmed being offered a luxurious stay and cash incentives of up to RM1,000.
“Having been in DAP for nearly 16 years, I can attest that such practices never occurred in the past. At most, the state DAP would arrange transportation, such as a bus, to facilitate the participation of delegates,” he said.
FMT has reached out to DAP leaders for comment.
The former Bagan Dalam assemblyman said current developments suggested that some leaders were willing to abandon the ideals they once championed in a desperate bid to secure positions in the March 16 CEC elections.
He said this was not merely a party matter, but about upholding integrity in Malaysian politics.
“If parties in power engage in vote-buying, how can they credibly call out corruption elsewhere?
“Political leaders who preach anti-corruption but practise money politics must be exposed and held responsible,” Satees said. - FMT

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