Mahathir accused of pouring millions of dollars in poll campaignKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (AFP) - Malaysia's opposition claimed Saturday that Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's National Front had poured 500 million ringgit (132 million US) into the brief pre-election campaign.Ten percent of the money may have been used for the ruling coalition's "fear and scare" political advertising on the largely state-controlled radio, television and newspapers, the opposition said in a statement. Lim Kit Siang, leader of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a key component of the opposition Alternative Front, urged the police to probe the funding of National Front's "fear and scare" media advertising blitz. Lim did not say how he arrived at the figure for the National Front's campaign funding. National Front leaders were not immediately available for comment. The National Front has been running since campaigning began last week a series of eye-catching advertisements against the opposition which touched on emotional cultural and religious issues. Analysts say the adverts, which also branded the opposition as riot-prone, could sway votes to the National Front on polling day. "The National Front believes that it could use the three Ms -- money politics, its monopoly of the mass media and misuse of government machinery -- to spread fear and scare and steal the general election on November 29 from the 9.6 million voters where they cannot freely and fairly exercise their right to vote," Lim said. He urged voters to prove the National Front wrong on polling day. Lim called this general election the "dirtiest" in the nation's 42-year history and accused Mahathir's coalition of planning all along to make it so to save its two-third majority in parliament. "The 1999 general election is one where the Malaysian press will forever hold their heads in shame as the most unbelievably unethical and irresponsible journalism," he said. Mahathir has defended the National Front's media campaign, saying it told the truth about the opposition which he said was preparing excuses for its defeat. The opposition claims it tried to place advertisements in the media but was turned away. In an open letter to voters, Lim said the election was an "exercise in deception and deceit in order to claim the right to govern Malaysia in the same abusive manner as in the recent past." He said the opposition Alternative Front, whose choice of Prime Minister is ousted and jailed deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, offered voters a future that brought out the best in Malaysia -- "freedom, justice and hope." The National Front, he said, offered a continuation "of discredited policies based on abuse and suppression of the rights of the people, the pursuit of greed and the creation of an intolerant society." |
