MELAKA: Police here are looking for several individuals to assist the investigation into the video behind a now-viral allegation that a political party is enticing local voters with food and money.

       Melaka State CID chief Asst Comm Azlan Abu said the video shows senior citizens lining up to take food packets with a RM50 note tied to each of the styrofoam boxes.

       He added that a picture was taken from the video and uploaded to the Facebook accounts of several individuals on Thursday (Nov 4).

       "There were various comments about the Facebook post claiming that the food packets and money were meant (to solicit) for votes for the upcoming state polls," said ACP Azlan.

       "The comments claimed the event was held at the Melaka Tengah district which was found to be untrue," he added on Friday (Nov 5).

       He said the preliminary investigation shows that there were no political party flags and logos embossed on the food packets and the recipients were mostly senior citizens.

       ACP Azlan said an investigation has been initiated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988.

       He added that police have opened 16 investigation papers between Oct 25 to Nov 4 on offences relating to the Melaka election.

       The Election Commission has set Nov 8 as the nomination date and Nov 20 for polling.

       The polls were triggered by the dissolution of the Melaka state assembly after Sungai Udang assemblyman Datuk Seri Idris Haron and three others withdrew support for then chief minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali.