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Corrupt Practices in Malaysia’s Election Campaigns: An Account by Domestic Observers

Elections in Malaysia are marred not only by partisan constituency delineation and polling irregularities, which distort the voters’ choice, but also by corrupt campaigning with bribery, treat-giving, undue government handouts, abuse of government machinery and biased behaviour by public institutions. A total of 517 such verified incidences were documented over 33 days from parliamentary dissolution on 7 April to polling on 9 May by domestic observers in Pemantau (‘monitor’ in the Malay language). Started in the earlier election in 2013, Pemantau was an initiative set up by three civil society groups, Coalition for Free and Fair Elections 2.0 (Bersih 2.0), Pusat Komas and Suaram. As election laws do not provide for election observation as a matter of right and the Election Commission (EC) refused to accredit independent observers to observe polling, Pemantau filled the gap by observing and documenting electoral malpractices from nomination to polling. It trained over 700 volunteers nationwide, and the 1003 incidents it recorded came from all possible sources, from candidates, polling and counting agents, to election workers via phone calls, Whatsapp messages and its website, further verified by 100 Pemantau coordinators overseeing 30 zones. Campaign malpractices were committed by all three coalitions, namely, the ruling National Front (Barisan Nasional, BN), its main challenger Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan, PH) and the Islamist-led third force Movement of Harmony (Gagasan Sejahtera). Specifically, 196 incidents of treat-giving and gift-giving across 68 parliamentary constituencies and 46 cases of bribery and vote-buying in 28 parliamentary constituencies were recorded by Pemantau. Free food, groceries at massively discounted prices and even free reading glasses were delivered in campaign events. Motorcyclists were given free petrol and engine oil while voters returning to their home constituencies received travel allowances. But generosity could even go in the form of cash: a PH candidate from the People’s Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PKR) handed out personal ‘donations’ to voters in Sungai Acheh, Penang, while the Sungai Besar division chief of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Selangor promised to give RM1000 (£377) per voter if BN clinched the Sekinchan state seat.