In testifying against the DAP’s petition to unseat him as the elected representative, he said vote buying was wrong under the law.
“I did not carry bags with cash when I went to campaign in their villages.
“There are many villagers and it is illogical to say I bribed all Orang Asli villagers to get their support,” he said, when being asked by his lawyer, Hafarizam Harun.
Sivarraajh was questioned by Hafarizam on the allegations made by DAP candidate M Manogaran in his election petition that there was massive vote buying.
Manogaran is seeking to nullify the results of the contest for the Cameron Highlands seat which Sivarraajh won with a 597-vote majority in a five-cornered fight.
Sivarraajh also denied that his meeting with several Tok Batins (Orang Asli village chiefs) during the campaign period to hand out “duit rokok” (money for cigarettes) was meant to fish for votes.
“If I did hand out money to them, it was based on the village chiefs’ request for financial assistance.
“I would never force them to support me, and whoever comes to me for help, I will do my best to assist them,” he said, adding that village chiefs made requests for financial aid for their travel and daily expenditure.
To a question by lawyer V Manokaran, who is representing Manogaran, on a Tok Batin’s testimony that Sivarraajh and Jelai assemblyman Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail had uttered “hidup dacing” when handling out RM200 to the village leaders, the MIC Youth chief denied it.
“I did not hear anyone, including Wan Rosdy, saying it,” he said.
Norman Kong, a village chief from Kampung Pos Sinderut in Kuala Lipis, had previously testified that Wan Rosdy and Sivarraajh met several Tok Batins and gave them “duit rokok” and that both BN candidates had exclaimed “hidup dacing”.
Another Tok Batin, Harun Siden had said that BN candidates gave him and six other village chiefs RM300 each in seeking their support.
The hearing continues before High Court judge Justice Azizah Nawawi tomorrow. Wan Rosdy, who is the current Pahang menteri besar, is expected to testify on Oct 3.