EC looks into East Water donation to Democrats
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The Election Commission is looking into the flood-relief funds that East Water provided to the Democrat Party last year, EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said yesterday.
A complaint against the Democrats was filed in January by former senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, and the case was put in the hands of EC member Sodsri Satayathum, Apichart said.
“There is no deadline for the completion of the investigation and work has been progressing well,” he said, denying allegations of unaccountable delays.
He said neither the EC nor he, in his capacity as political party registrar, had arrived at a conclusion on the case, adding that it remained unclear who would have a final say once the investigation is completed.
The outcome would hinge on whether the investigative report can establish whether the case falls into the category of an alleged campaigning offence or comes under the Political Parties Act, he said.
In his complaint, Ruangkrai said he suspected that the Bt1-million donation was actually intended for the Democrat Party’s campaigns, but was disguised as flood-relief funds to skirt the ban on accepting campaign contributions from state-owned enterprises.
Apichart said that in his personal opinion, a political party or an elected representative was entitled to solicit public donations intended for flood relief or other natural calamities.
When Pheu Thai spokesman Promphong Nopparit said earlier that the case had come to an end because the Democrats could not prove that it had passed the donation on to the Flood Disaster Fund, party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government was focusing on this case to divert the public’s attention from problems such as the rising cost of living.
Abhisit insisted that his party had only acted as a middleman and had transferred the money to the fund, not used it for its own benefit.
“If a party receives donations, it has to appear in the party’s account and be reported to the Election Commission. On the other hand, if the party acts as a middleman and passes the money on, it is the donor that receives the donation certificate, not the party,” he said.
Abhisit further stated that he was not worried about the case because it was only the government’s attempt to evade its own problems. “If we are not deemed guilty, then they will try to make a scene out of it, saying it is double standards. It is their formula, though I believe they should spend their time trying to help people.”
When asked how the party’s lawyers were preparing for the case, Abhisit said: “The party is ready for the investigation, but every time we have provided clarifications, they have not tried to understand.”
He also said the government should not waste time on this case but should let the investigating panel do its job.
