PUTRAJAYA, 10 Apr: The Chairman of the Election Commission (EC), Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said that government vehicles can be used until 20 April, the date the campaigning period starts for the 13th General Elections (GE-13).
"I do not want to comment on this question. I do not know the details.
"In general, all government assets cannot be used for campaigning. But the campaigning period has not started yet.
"It only starts after the nomination. There is no campaigning now. The caretaker government can do anything which is covered under the law.
"Campaigning only starts on 20 April," he answered briefly when asked about the use of government assets by the Umno-BN Caretaker Government after the date of the dissolution of Parliament on 3 April.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders previously vowed to return state government vehicles and to not use state government assets for election campaign purposes.
The action is one of the principles of the PR interim government code of ethics.
Until now, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Umno-BN leaders refused to follow suit and have even been alleged to have violated the ethics of the caretaker government when announcing mega projects and new spending of public funds.
Abdul Aziz said that the campaigning period only starts after the nomination of candidates on 20 April and ends at 12.00 midnight on 4 May 2013.
The EC also reminded all political parties to take care of their respective members during the campaigning period to ensure the smooth running of the GE-13.
The GE-13 to be held on 5 May will see the battle for 22 Parliamentary seats and 505 State Legislative seats by the two Malaysian political superpowers, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Barisan Nasional (BN) to form the Federal Government at the State Governments
