Not all actions or gifts per se given during elections are illegal under Section 10 of the Election Offences Act 1954 if they are made during the campaign period.
Election Commission (EC) member Datuk Abd Aziz Khalidin said the law had been interpreted according to each person's political leanings, and the EC will not interfere with them.
"The EC conducts elections according to the existing laws and not according to the interpretations made by any person or political member, he said in a statement here today.
Abd Aziz said interpretations of the law for offences should not be literal based merely on the words under Section 10 of the Act.
"It must be comprehensive, proven by oral evidence and documents as well as that the gift was to influence certain people to vote for a party during the election," he said.
Abd Aziz said his earlier statement on the cash aid of RM500 given by the government to rubber tappers, rice given by MCA and Gerakan, and vegetables (sawi) by the opposition, at the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections had been misinterpreted.
"Based on the reports made, there seems to be an assumption that the EC had decided that every act/gift did not contravene the law," he said.
Abd Aziz said his statement should be seen from the aspect of campaigning during the by-elections and so far, the EC did not see any problems or violations of the regulations for the by-elections.
He added that the EC had never prevented anyone from lodging a report to the authorities if there were any bribery-related acts during the elections.
However, all claims must be proven with supporting evidence and should not be based only on opinion or personal interpretations or media reports.
"The interested parties still have legal recourse to prove their claims and not just make blind accusations," he said.
The Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar Parliamentary by-elections are being held simultaneously on June 18 following the deaths of the incumbents Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad and Tan Sri Noriah Kasnon in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.
Bernama
Thu Jun 16 2016
Election Commission member Datuk Abd Aziz Khalidin says, so far, the EC did not see any problems or violations of the regulations for the by-elections.
Langkah menoktahkan kemiskinan tegar di Sabah antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat
Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin meminta Menteri Ekonomi menyatakan langkah tersebut pada sesi jawab lisan.
Kerajaan cadang perkenal pembiayaan swasta pastikan kemampanan sektor air
Kerajaan menyasarkan untuk memperkenalkan pembiayaan swasta alternatif bagi memastikan kemampanan kewangan program sektor air.
[INFOGRAFIK] Tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Menendez didapati bersalah ke atas 16 pertuduhan rasuah
Juri di Mahkamah Persekutuan Manhattan membacakan keputusannya pada Selasa selepas berbincang selama lebih 12 jam selama tiga hari.
Tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram - CAP
CAP menggesa Lembaga Racun Makhluk Perosak segera mengambil tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram di negara ini dan menguatkuasakan dengan tegas Akta Racun Perosak 1974.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab dari segi kemahiran dan keupayaan sosial.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya, seperti mahkamah syariah, pegawai penguatkuasa agama dan peguam syarie.
Kerajaan teliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap
Kerajaan sedang meneliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap bagi memastikan pengurusan kewangan negara yang lebih mampan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
PDRM gerak unit skuba forensik, K9 cari bukti hari ini
Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) akan menggerakkan unit skuba (Unit Forensik) serta Unit Anjing Pengesan (K9) ke lokasi penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, 25, di Kampung Sri Kledang, Hulu Selangor, pagi esok.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor DSP Mohd Asri Mohd Yunus ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata proses mencari bahan bukti akan dimulakan sekitar jam 9 pagi di kawasan parit berhampiran ladang kelapa sawit berkenaan.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor DSP Mohd Asri Mohd Yunus ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata proses mencari bahan bukti akan dimulakan sekitar jam 9 pagi di kawasan parit berhampiran ladang kelapa sawit berkenaan.
Dewan Rakyat: Langkah meknoktahkan kemisikan tegar di Sabah antara tumpuan hari ini
Langkah-langkah untuk meknoktahkan kemiskinan tegar di Sabah terutamanya di lapan daerah yang dikategorikan termiskin di Malaysia antara tumpuan persidangan Dewan Rakyat hari ini.