It’s humanitarian, not political gesture, says Dr Teo
MIRI: Miri MP Dr Micheal Teo Yu Keng defends his action of donating food coupons to students in Rantau ( Negeri Sembilan) constituency, saying it is a humanitarian and not a political gesture.
He says he even has a plan to give out more to students in Sarawak
“It was a purely a humanitarian gesture. In schools no one talk about politics or party issues,” he said when contacted through WhatsApp when asked to comment on the brouhaha over his donation on Thursday.
The two-term MP disagreed with the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections ( Bersih 2.0) that it was an election offence to give out donation during an election campaign. He said he was only helping the 300 or so deserving students who were non-voters, and who were selected by teachers from five secondary schools in Negri Sembilan.
Bersih said Dr Teo had committed an election offence for distributing food coupons worth RM75,000 to underprivileged students from the five schools.
Section 8 of the Election Offences Act 1954 ( EOA) states that it is an election offence to treat anyone to food, drink, refreshment, provision, money, ticket or any other means for the purpose of corruptly influencing any person to vote at an election.
Bersih 2.0 interpreted ‘ before an election’ to mean before the Nomination Day.
Dr Teo said he distributed the free food coupons at the request of Dr S Streram, a PKR candidate for Rantau by- election, who was also present at the event on March 28.
The duo, doctors by profession, also came to the aid of a motorcyclist who was found lying hurt by the roadside due to an accident.
Together with the medics team, they helped stabilise the victim before he could be sent to the nearest hospital.
Dr Teo said he and Dr Steram were welcomed by the students, and he was happy to help them out of his own pocket.
“I helped them with my own money. It was not given to voters. It was not after nomination day or within election campaign period,” he said.
He said he was compelled to give back to the society and there were students in the country having or little money to buy food.
On the criticism posted in social media that he should donate his money instead for charitable causes at home, Dr Teo said he had given even bigger donations to eight schools in Miri for food coupons within a three-month period, and the feedback positive.
“I plan to give more food coupons to more students in Sarawak.
“We have given out wheelchairs, coffins and even airfares for patients to travel to bigger hospitals, apart from school bags, uniforms and shoes to 2,000 students in the past two months.”
Dr Teo said he had even been approached to undertake many similar community outreach projects, particularly those that involved health and hospitals services.
“One example is: I want to help put in training courses for doctors in rural areas about maternity related emergencies.”