SHAH ALAM – Core member of #RasuahBusters Anas Zubedy today urges voters to choose a candidate first before taking into account the political party involved in the 15th General Election (GE15).
He said voters would actually create a chain of reaction across the board and that every political party would line up their best candidates for the election.
"If we, the public, send a message to all political leaders that we would choose the best candidate and not based on party, we said we want them to be smart, we want them to be full of integrity and of course free from corruption.
"If we send this kind of message to them, they would definitely question if they will win the election,” he said.
Anas said if the voters decided to choose a political candidate, the candidate who won would lead the party to change the country for the better, which would be not just a win for the political party but also the country.
Meanwhile, Anas said he first came out with the idea back in 2012 when he recorded political leaders, especially the younger people.
"For example, to record one politician and say ‘We are going to vote for you if you promise that you are free from corruption’.
"You don’t have to ask too much, just ask the candidates on how they could promise us that they are free from corruption and I hope young people would upload it on social media and perhaps chase after them if they run,” he said in laughs.
The founder of Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd also stressed on the phrase of ‘corruption-free’ leader is actually followed by connotations of the support of Anti-Hopping Law, supporting MACC reporting cases to parliament as well as to declare their assets.
"Even most of them would say yes that they would be free from corruption, but I think the idea is they need to say it out loud first and then we can question them afterward with the hope it can minimise the possibility of them involved in corruptions,” he said.
However, Anas busted out the focus on Undi 18 by saying the true concept of Undi 18 means everyone who had not been registered were now allowed to vote and not just intended for young people only.
He said Undi 18 indeed surely would have a huge impact on who was going to win the election.
"If more people are now can go and vote, the organisation with the best election machinery will benefit us,” he said in an interview with Sinar Daily after the launch of #SatuJari campaign today.
Speaking of voting and political literacy, Anas said it was insulting for people to think that young and rural area’s voters would choose their leaders based on emotion and with little political literacy.
"I think we should allow someone to vote in their own choice and feeling.
"People can vote according to their level of knowledge, we have to accept the fact that even smart people have biases, so it doesn’t mean that young and rural voters are not relevant to vote.
On voting during monsoon season, Anas said it was important to call for an emergency when floods occur in one area and there should be an exception for voters in risky situations.