KUALA LUMPUR: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (BERSIH 2.0), ENGAGE and Tindak Malaysia has called upon election candidates at the Cameron Highlands by-election to keep it clean.
The non-governmental organisations said that to this end, they will conduct election observations by-election from 12 – 26 January 2019 and work together to monitor and report election offences.
“A total of 26 observers will be deployed throughout the period of the by-election to monitor the campaign activities of candidates and political parties as well as the conduct of the election by the Election Commission.
We warn all candidates and political parties that will be contesting in the Cameron Highlands by-election to keep away from election offences in their election campaigns from 12-25 January,” the organisations said in a statement here today.
As a show of their commitment to uphold the integrity of the by-election in the new Malaysia, they called on all candidates to publicly sign a personal pledge to ensure clean and fair election in their election campaign.
The pledge commits the candidates to run their election campaigns in a clean and fair manner, free from corruption and bribery such as cash or gift, undue influence on voters such as free dinners, free concerts, abuse of government machinery and resources, and the manipulation of racial and religious issues to incite hatred and violence, they said.
The statement said that a press conference will be organised by the three organisations for the signing of the pledge on nomination day, Jan 12.
The three organisations add that the candidates who turn up and sign the pledge will be given time to speak to the media about their commitment to clean and fair election as well as their commitment to clean politics if they are elected.
“There will be live telecast of the signing of the pledge by candidates through Facebook. We believe this will help the voters in Cameron Highlands to know better the commitment of the candidates towards clean election and clean politics.
“In view of election offences that continued unabatedly in the past four by-elections despite high public expectation for clean and fair election in the post 14th General Elections context, we will not hesitate to report election offences that are committed in Cameron Highlands by-election in violation of the pledge and the election laws to all relevant authorities, including the police, the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC),” they said.
BERSIH 2.0 also called upon members of the public especially those living and working in Cameron Highlands, to support the monitoring of the by-election by becoming the eyes and ears of the three organizations.
Eye witnesses of any election irregularities or offences are encouraged to lodge complaints to BERSIH 2.0 at the following:
Hotlines: 03 7931 4444 or 017-872 5418 or 017-872 5419
Whatsapp: 011-17721546
Website:https://aduan.pemantau.org/