The Malaysian Insight

URBAN Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar has denied fishing for votes after photos of him handing out cash to the public at a programme went viral. 

The Tanjung Karang MP said he was being slandered on social media by people who did not know the objective of Bantuan Khas Awal Persekolahan 1Malaysia, at which event he had been photographed clutching a stack of notes to be handed it out to the people.

He said it was a school aid programme that benefitted 3.2 million recipients, and he was distributing the aid at a Parent-Teacher Association meeting. 

“Those who slander don’t know what the government has done for the people

“The Bantuan Awal Persekolahan programme is not new, it has been implemented for quite some time,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

Budget 2018 allocated RM328 million to the programme to lend cash aid to schoolchildren from poor families, at a rate of RM100 per child.

Pictures of Noh dispensing money from a stack in his hands have gone viral, prompting a backlash from social media users. 

On Facebook, Mat Yie shared the photos with the caption,” At a parent-teacher association event in Tanjung Karang, Noh Omar simply gives out money to the parents, isn’t it professional?

Sarazbeet Mohagani wrote,” It’s the season to dish out money.”

In defence, Noh today said it was his duty as the Tanjung Karang MP to visit his constituency and directly channel government aid to the people.

“Is it wrong for me to go to my constituency? And yes, I will personally come down if there is a PTA meeting in Tanjung Karang, sometimes there will be three programmes in a day. 

“And I will give (the assistance) to the parents during the PTA programme, because it is easier for them rather than (to have them) coming to meet us,” he told the Malaysian Insight. 

Anti-graft watchdog Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) director Cynthia Gabriel said although it might be for a legitimate purpose, it was still wrong to flourish a large stack of money to give away to the people.

“The method, the process by which it is done is actually very blatant. This is a good example of what we are very concerned about – (the) handing out (of_  gifts, cash. 

“Of course Noh Omar said it was part of the government’s programme, but it is very questionable, the way he was holding the cash and giving the money to the people,” she said.

Bersih 2.0 chairman Maria Chin Abdullah agreed with Cynthia that there should be a proper aid distribution channel .  

“I have no objection to the programme, but the way they are doing it is really violating integrity. 

“He has stepped out of line as a minister, and it’s near to elections so the perception is that he is fishing for votes.  I hope the EC (Election Commission) will stop this kind of money distribution in the run-up to the election. 

“He is a minister and he’s not even connected to education; going around and dishing out hard cash is a violation of his position as a minister,” she said, adding that assistance could be channelled through school authorities. 

Cynthia said the group was also concerned that similar dubious practices would become more rampant in the lead up to the 14th general election.

She said as it was, Malaysians were already disheartened by the conviction of whistleblowers Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli and a former bank clerk charged with breaching a banking and confidentiality law in the National Feedlot Corporation case. 

“After Rafizi’s case, many people are asking, what’s the point of lodging a report?  But if we fail to report (wrongdoing), it means we have lost the battle against corruption.

“It’s not viable for us to keep quiet, we all have a duty as citizens to report wrongdoing and it is the law enforcement agencies’ responsibility to investigate. If there is no case, then there is no case; if there is a case, then they have to open a file,” she said, adding C4 had today met up with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to hand over a report on the roles and functions of the MACC and EC in addressing corrupt practices at elections. 

Cynthia urged the two authorities to get serious and coordinate efforts to look at the overlapping mandate in dealing with cases of money politics. 

“We did research on the legal mandate of both EC and MACC and we found that both EC and MACC have jurisdiction to address election complaints, but of course MACC is the bigger law enforcement body, it has the power to open an investigation paper, press the main charges.” – February 12, 2018.