PM Abdullah’s PAS Opponent accused of Asking Public Donation; Police report lodged by UMNO Youth; What about on-line Donations by PAS & Bloggers?

Why is UMNO Youth in Kepala Batas (PM Abdullah constituency) harassing the PAS candidate for allegedly “asking for Public donation through leaflets and stating that it is an offence under the Election act”? Has it GOT nothing better to do? Too Free no need to campaign? Even the PAS party is doing it on-line and so are many bloggers. (see article from NST Below) Is there any difference asking through leaflets and asking on-line? Both are also appealing to the public. Why not make more POLICE REPORTS and waste police resources?
Opposition parties should likewise make reports and determine how BN can spend so much on this GE. How MCA got its money? Through the PKFZ slush funds maintained by the runaway Chan K C?.

In one BN rally in Prai saw some 1,000 voters feted with an eight-course dinner and entertained by a getai or stage singer. "I don't think we have the money to do such a thing. And we never have singers like that!" said DAP's Liew Chin Tong. One popular way has been to turn crooners for the night to entertain the audience. The only difference, at DAP rallies, such as the one staged by incumbent Bukit Mertajam representative Chong Eng, plastic containers were passed around as he sang to raise funds to support the party.

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ABOVE The police report made at the Kepala Patas Police Station BELOW

UMNO Youth has lodged a police report against, PAS candidate for Kepala Pas Subri Mat Arshd (ABOVE Left with Abdullah) over the distribution of leaflets asking for public donation to support his election campaign Kepala Patas Vice youth Chief Vice Datuk Reezal Merican (BELOW) said asking for donation is against the Election act and wanted the Police and Election Commission to investigate the matter.

The activities of the PAS candidate in Kepala Patas is considered no small matter. This is asking the public to stand up for them. For transparency why print out his personal account. Rizal Merican claimed the address printed on leaflet was the same as that on the PAS candidate’s nomination paper. The leaflets were distributed in Kepala Patas.

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ELECTION 2008: Allegations of appeal for donations by opposition candidate

By : Adie Suri Zulkefli
KEPALA BATAS: The Kepala Batas Umno division Youth wing yesterday lodged a police report claiming that an opposition candidate contesting in the general election had been going round asking for donation from the public.

Its vice-chairman Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican, 36, said they had received a copy of the appeal letter which, he claimed, were being distributed at several locations in Penaga and Bertam here. He said the letter contained the name of the candidate, address, phone number and also the individual's account number. "We received a copy of the letter which was forwarded by a local villager to us at the Umno division building here. "The villager said copies were being distributed three days ago," he told a Press conference yesterday.
He urged the Election Commission and the police to investigate the report to ascertain whether the candidate was behind the donation appeal. Seberang Prai Utara police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Abdullah Tuanku Said confirmed a report had been lodged and an investigation was underway.
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ELECTION 2008: Opposition using Internet to raise funds

Monday, 03 March 2008
Badrul Hisham Shaharin has raised RM21,000 from supporters through his blog

KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition candidates are now using the Internet to solicit funds for their election campaigns. While donation boxes are still de rigueur at fund-raising events, DAP's Tony Pua said e-donation was a new way for the party to raise funds. "Previously, we obtained funds through conventional means such as ceramah and dinners. "The Internet is now another important channel which has helped us tremendously to get more funds," said the Petaling Jaya Utara parliamentary candidate. Through their joint website, he said, DAP's Petaling Jaya candidates had collected more than RM10,000 via credit card and online transfers, while another RM20,000 was banked into their Maybank2U account.

Their target is to raise 50 per cent of the amount that election candidates are legally permitted to spend. The law stipulates that parliamentary and state candidates may spend up to RM200,000 and RM100,000 respectively. "From the look of things, we are not likely to reach our target but we are happy with the amount collected so far." He added that conventional fund-raising methods were still yielding better results. They have managed to collect some RM45,000 from over five nights of ceramah.

ABOVE & BELOW: Dadarul Hisham contesting Rembau seat against SIL

Another candidate embracing this new fund-raising method is newcomer Badrul Hisham Shaharin, a candidate from Parti Keadilan Rakyat. He said online fund-raising will enable those from outstation and overseas to show their support for him in his maiden attempt. He is taking on Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin for the Rembau parliamentary seat.

"I cannot solicit funds via ceramah as most of the Rembau constituents are not well-to-do." He has collected RM21,000 so far through his blog -- far below his expenses of RM40,000 to date. Even conservative Pas has jumped on the online fund-raising bandwagon. Pas treasurer Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli said this was the first time the party was soliciting funds online. "It is not as successful as we would have liked, but at least we are trying," he said. - NST

= == = Jeff OOi by far got the highest Donation and not reported by NST because of its ongoing suit between the two, the funds would have reached RM150,00 by now