Mahathir should realise that it is none of the business of the caretaker Prime Minister of Malaysia to campaign for votes for the Barisan Nasional in the general election, and there must be a clear distinction between his two positions, one as caretaker Prime Minister of the country and the other as head of Barisan Nasional.
If Mahathir goes around the country during the election campaign to seek votes for Barisan Nasional by using public funds and government resources, this is a gross misappropriation of public fuinds and government resources, which must be stopped by the Auditor-General. It is also a corrupt electoral practice and an election offence.
Tomorrow, Mahathir will begin to travel to the various states to campaign for the Barisan Nasional, starting with Kota Kinabalu tomorrow afternoon, Bintulu tomorrow night, Johore on Wednesday afternoon, Selangor the same night, Terengganu on Thursday morning, Kelantan in the afternoon, Kuantan at night, Seremban on Friday morning, Malacca in the afternoon and Ipoh at night, Penang on Saturday morning, Perlis in the afternoon and Kedah at night.
I understand that Mahathir will travel by the government executive jet recently bought for the Prime Minister in his nation-wide election campaign. This is a gross abuse of public resources and facilities. The government executive jet can be used by Mahathir as caretaker Prime Minister but definitely not by him as Barisan Nasional Chairman to go to the various states on his election round-up to drum up voter support for the Barisan Nasional.
The former Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandi used a government helicopter during an Indian general election campaign and the Indian High Court declared her election null and void because of misuse of government resources, which tantamout to an election offence.
While calling on the Auditor-General to set up a special audit to ensure that the caretaker Prime Minister and caretaker Ministers do not abuse public funds and government resources for party political ends during the general election campaign, I call on Mahathir to set a good example of clean, honest and fair election campaigning by grounding the government executive jet from any Barisan Nasional election use.
(22/11/99)