Will Ramli co-operate to make Cameron Highlands by-election the cleanest in nation’s history with the BN and PH candidates making daily declarations of their by-election expenditures and invitation to Election Commission and NGOs to monitor their daily campaigns?

Barisan Nasional candidate for Cameron Highlands by-election, Ramli Mohd Nor said yesterday that if he wins the by-election, it will not be based on bribery.

This is a most welcome statement by the Barisan Nasional candidate and I applaud him for it, for there is a very deliberate and systematic attempt to divert attention as to why the election of MIC Vice President, C. Sivaraajh as MP for Cameron Highlands in the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018 was declared null and void, resulting in the holding a by-election; and in particular the significant role of the Pahang Mentri Besar and State Assemblyman for Jelai, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail in the money-politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices during the last general election, which were highlighted in the election court appeal and which Wan Rosdy dared not become a witness to rebut although the election court proceedings were adjourned three times for Wan Rosdy to testify.

Actually the money politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices in the 14th General Election were not confined to Cameron Highlands, but was fairly routine for most Barisan Nasional campaigns.

The difference was that Cameron Highlands produced 12 “integrity heroes” – eleven of them Orang Asli – who were prepared to testify in open court about the Barisan Nasional’s money politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices in Cameron Highlands during the last general election!

It is indeed a marvel that Pakatan Harapan and Warisan could win the 14th General Election and form the Federal Government led by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad despite the money-politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices of Barisan Nasiona.

In actual fact, if there had been clean and fair election in every constituency in the last general election, Barisan Nasional would not have even won the 79 Parliamentary seats with 54 parliamentary seats secured by UMNO (now reduced to a paltry 37).

The attempt to divert attention as to why the Cameron Highlands by-election was held has led to the attempt to accuse the DAP and Pakatan Harapan of being involved in vote-buying in the by-election, with Barisan Nasional leaders trying to take the high moral ground and spreading on the social media a batch of images showing money being handed out to people in Pakatan Harapan Cameron Highlands T-shirts. Police reports were even lodged by the Barisan Nasional alleging vote-buying.

In actual fact, these were honest and legitimate election expenditures, as they were reimbursement for some 60 Orang Asli volunteer motor-cyclists at RM20 each who came out from remote Orang Asli kampongs especially from the Jelai area to Tanah Rata on Saturday for Nomination.

Is Ramli prepared to reveal publicly how much money the Barisan Nasional spent on Nomination Day?

I have no doubt that what DAP and Pakatan Harapan spent on Nomination Day was only a pittance compared to what Barisan Nasional spent on Nomination Day last Saturday.

This takes us to the second prong of the Barisan Nasional campaign to divert attention from the significant role of Wan Rosdy in the money-politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices in Cameron Highlands during the last general election, resulting in its being declared null and void..

All those who are interested on this issue should read the judgment of the Election Court Judge, Justice Azizah Nawai in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Nov. 30, 2018.

If Ramli has difficulty in getting a copy of the judgment, I can quickly furnish him a copy.

In Paragraphs 26 to 33 of the judgement on Sivaraajh and Wan Rosdy arriving at Sekolah SK Sinderut at Pos Sinderut in a helicopter on 30.4.2018 at about 2 pm, the Batins were told to the effect that “Batins must remember who were the leaders…and they must therefore vote for BN” and the Batins present were given RM200 each as “”money for cigarettes”, the election judge said the fact that RM200 was given to the Batins present had been proven.

From Paragraphs 34 to 41, on Sivarrajh and Wan Rosdy’s using a helicopter to visit Pos Lenjang on 6.5.2018, the election judged found that “”on the factual matrix” of the case that the Batins were given RM25,000 to be distributed to all voters in their respective villages, and each Batin received RM200.

From Paragraphs 45 to 48, the election judge was satisfied that Sivarrajh and Wan Rosdy later on the same day met seven Batins in Kampung Tual, Janggap, Regang, Sinderut, Cempian, Kabang and Belau and the Batins were given RM300 each.

There were other allegations of Batins being paid large sums of money to be distributed to Orang Asli villagers to buy their votes for Barisan Nasional.

Wan Rosdy is very lucky that his election as State Assemblyman for Jelai had not been challenged in the election court, or his election would also be declared null and void, disqualified from contesting in the Jelai by-election, losing as well the office of Pahang Mentri Besar.

Wan Rosdy is therefore a tainted Pahang Mentri Besar and should not be involved in any manner in the Cameron Highlands by-election because of his violation of the election laws in the 14th General Election.

There should be a special function to honour the Orang Asli witnesses the Cameron Highlands election petition, for they have set a high standard of integrity and probity not only for Orang Ali in Cameron Highlands, but for all Malaysians in the country to be clean, honest and not to succumb to money in elections in Malaysia.

Will Ramli attend a special function to honour these Orang Asli witnesses in the Cameron Highlands election appeal – who have shown by deed that they are honourable and worthwhile Malaysians who are not just local champions but national heroes?

I dare say that if there is no money politics, vote-buying and corrupt election practices, Pakatan Harapan stands a very good chance of winning the Cameron Highlands by-election.

This is why I welcome Ramli’s statement and invite him to make the Cameron Highlands by-election the model for all general elections and by-elections in future whereby the candidates subject themselves to daily scrutiny of their election expenditures.

There are about 30 polling districts in Cameron Highlands parliamentary constituency, namely Pos Terisu, Pos Telanuk, Pos Lemoi, Pos Mensun, Lembah Bertam, Bandar Ringlet, Habu, Ladang Boh 1, Ladang Boh 2, Kea Farm, Tanah Rata, Berinchang, Ladang Sungai Palas, Ladang Blue Valley, Kampung Raja, Kuala Terla, Teringkap, Pos Lanai, Kuala Medang, Tanjung Gahai, Bukit Kota, Kampung Keledek, Lubuk Kulit, FELDA Sungai Koyan Satu, FELDA Sungai Koyan Dua & Tiga, Pos Betau, Pos Sinderut, Pos Lenjang, Pos Titum.

Let the BN and PH candidates submit a daily report of the election expenditures for each of these 30 polling districts.

Will Ramli agree?

In fact, I will go further.

Invite the Election Commission and NGO representatives, including Berish and other election-monitoring NGOs, to monitor the daily by-election activities of each candidate, with PH and BN by-election operations centre submitting a daily itinerary of the by-election activities. The Election Commission and the NGOs shoud be welcome to send monitors to all by-election activities.

With such arrangement, and the daily report of the election expenditures of the candidates, I have no doubt that we will be introducing an innovation which will ensure free, clean and fair election practices in Malaysia, but the whole world as well!

Will Ramli agree and answer in the next few hours in this age of instant communications when information travels at the speed of light?