TAPAH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s reminder against the use of government machinery or allocations for campaigning in the Ayer Kuning state by-election underscores the Unity Government’s strong commitment to good governance and integrity.
Universiti Malaya sociopolitical analyst Datuk Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the prime minister’s firm stance reflects a broader effort to uphold the principles of fair elections, in line with the values of a healthy democracy.
In light of the prime minister’s clear message, he said, there is a need to strengthen policy reforms and enforcement mechanisms to ensure a clear separation between government administration and political activities, which is crucial for maintaining public trust in the democratic process.
He said the challenge of distinguishing between administrative duties and election campaigns has long been overlooked.
“This situation highlights the complexity of separating government functions from political agendas, especially during election periods, which demand more defined guidelines and stringent enforcement,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Last Monday, Anwar warned all parties not to use government machinery or allocations when campaigning in the Ayer Kuning state by-election.
Regarding the announcement of allocations before nomination day, Awang Azman noted that such actions would inevitably raise ethical concerns and affect public perception—especially when they occur close to an election period.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said the prime minister’s warning is seen as a preventive measure to dispel perceptions that the government and candidates representing the ruling party are leveraging state resources to gain an unfair advantage by distributing ‘goodies’ to win support.
“This is to prevent any misconduct or misinterpretation of the government’s actions as vote-buying rather than genuine efforts to uplift communities,“ he said.
He said that such a warning would allow candidates to compete on a level playing field.
“This means that the opposition, which does not have access to large allocations, is not disadvantaged, and the ruling party is prevented from abusing its position to gain an upper hand,” he said.
The Ayer Kuning by-election, called following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin from a heart attack on Feb 22, saw a three-cornered contest between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Abd Muhaimin Malek of Perikatan Nasional and KS Bawani of PSM.
The Election Commission has set April 26 as the polling day for the by-election, while early voting is on April 22.
