PKR MP raps Zahid over election-season grants

A PKR MP today hit out at Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his announcement of additional grants for youth associations in Terengganu on condition that they support Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) at the upcoming election. 

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said bribery was not just a legal issue but also involved perception, as it was synonymous with a person's ethics. 

In terms of perception, he said, an election conducted without bribes would be clean and fair.

"As an MP, I disagree with the announcement of additional grants by Zahid in Terengganu during the election campaign," he said in a Twitter post. 

Speaking in Terengganu on July 28, Zahid who is also the rural and regional development minister announced RM100,000 for a youth organisation, to be channelled through the Central Terengganu Development Authority, or Ketengah.

He also announced RM250,000 for the Terengganu Youth Council and RM200,000 to motor riders associations, adding that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would later "top up" the amounts.

He said that the allocations were on condition that Terengganu youths would support the "blue and red wave", a reference to the BH-PH coalitions.

His announcement was criticised by many, including PAS leader Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man who said it was a clear form of bribery ahead of the Aug 12 polls. 

Anwar however said that Zahid's announcement had nothing to do with the elections, to be held in Terengganu, Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Kedah.