Patriots: Did Hishammuddin just commit an election offence of ‘undue influence’?

Any person who threatens to inflict any temporal loss upon any person in order to induce such person to vote or refrain from voting, is committing an offence, say the Patriots. 

A Bernama report on 4 May 2018 stated that caretaker Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein had reminded military personnel to return the BN to form government “by a huge margin so that the agendas can be realised”.

The mentioned agendas were education, healthcare, housing, veterans’ welfare, and direction in ensuring defence preparedness and security needs of the country.

By making those statements, the caretaker defence minister might be deemed to have used a threat, an inducement, or attempt to induce military personnel into voting for BN. As such, he might have committed an offence of “undue influence” under section 9 of the Election Offences Act 1954.

Any person, who threatens to inflict any temporal loss upon any person in order to induce such person to vote or refrain from voting, is committing an offence of undue influence. Furthermore, it is also deemed to interfere with the free exercise of the electoral right of a person.

Perstuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) would like to state clearly the followings:

• It is NOT what that is being planned such as education, welfare, or hospitals; rather how government officials execute the plan. There must be no corruption, no wastage, and no cronyism in giving out projects.
• 2. If the planned projects are good for the people and country, any clean government can also carry out the projects. What is of utmost importance is a clean government.

BG Dato Mohamed Arshad Raji (Rtd) is president of Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan. – aliran.com

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama

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