Bersih slams Najib's jet campaign trips
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 07, 2008
Azreen Madzlan

Polls reform group Bersih has criticised Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak for making use of a government Fokker executive jet during the campaign period. MCPX

straits times article on najib campaign trail 060308 photoLast Tuesday, New Straits Times featured a photograph of Najib taking a nap with his daughter in the plane while on the way to campaign in Kelantan.

Bersih committee member and PKR candidate for the Batu parliamentary seat Tian Chua said it is illegal for Najib to use the jet for campaigning because the Fokker belongs to the government.

"He's also bringing his family members on the aircraft. That's a violation of the election law," said Chua, when contacted by Malaysiakini today.

Stressing that the abuse of public amenities and public funds as unethical, Chua added that he has brought up the issue during his ceramah to let the electorate decide whether Najib did the right thing or not..

bersih protest constitution amendment 071207 tian chuaChua who is also PKR information chief pointed out that Najib is no longer a functioning deputy prime minister, but a candidate for the general election just like anyone else contesting.

"If they (BN leaders) can abuse public property during the election campaign, imagine what they can do after the elections," he said.

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Contacted for his comments, PAS Research Centre director and Bersih steering committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad said Bersih does not condone any sort of abuse of official machinery that is being practiced by the BN.

"We are supposed to be under a caretaker government. So ideally, they can no longer use these amenities." he said.

Dzulkifli who is also PAS Kuala Selangor parliamentary candidate said the RM150 million projects which was announced prior to the elections by BN is another form of abuse.

In the run-up to the dissolution of Parliament, there was a string of announcements for development allocations - especially to Chinese schools - by the BN government.

Dzukifli urged Election Commission (EC) chairperson Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman to keep his promise to take action against those who abuse official machineries and offer election goodies.

"The reason why Bersih is calling for a Royal Commision on Electoral Reform (ECER) to be established after the general election is because "we knew that this is coming," said Dzulkifli.

He stresses the importance of the ECER because the public can help to collect evidence of fraud and misconduct during the elections.

"We are disgusted and detest all sorts of abuse of public amenities. It's obvious BN is arrogant and only care about themselves," he added.

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