KUALA LUMPUR: A simmering dispute between a Pas and Bersatu leader over election funding boiled over on social media today, with leaders from both parties trading sharp words about who carried the financial burden during the 15th General Election (GE15).
The latest barb came from Pas central committee member Nasrudin Hassan, who said the party depended on members’ contributions and denied receiving millions from Bersatu.
“Pas joined GE15 with funding from its members, who worked tirelessly to raise money. In Indera Mahkota, for example, we did not receive millions from Bersatu,” he wrote on Facebook.
He added: “What I know is that during the last GE, we sweated it out to raise basic funds. Members even parted with their own belongings to help the party. If it is true that millions were received as alleged, we would not have had to endure being mocked by rivals that Pas is nothing more than a ‘Milo tin party’.”
His remarks came after Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, a former aide to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said Bersatu ‘footed the bill‘ for the latter’s 15th General Election (GE15) expenses.
“When they contested using the PN logo, all election equipment was provided by PN. PN’s expenses were all borne by Bersatu. As a result, Pas won 43 parliamentary seats, the largest in its 70 years,” Marzuki claimed.
The row followed Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s claim at Pas’s recent 71st Muktamar.
He had reportedly said Pas had charged RM1,200 for each ballot box, adding: “We paid for all the equipment, they just came to the contest.”
Marzuki, however, agreed with Sanusi‘s assessment that a large amount of money was needed for election funds, with RM1 million being the minimum amount for one parliamentary constituency, and that more funds may be required.
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