PBS banner removed after police report by DAP
A campaign banner set up by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) near Jalan Utara, Mile 3 in Sandakan was taken down after Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) publicity secretary Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe lodged a police report against it.
SANDAKAN: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah publicity secretary Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe said DAP had lodged a police report against Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) over a banner that was set up near Jalan Utara, Mile 3 here.
Phoong said the banner in Hakka: “Tai Wok, You Zong D?” which translated to: “Oh no, we are ‘D' again?” was inappropriate and could cause provocation.
The word ‘D' could be an inappropriate Hakka word, or could also mean ‘scolded at'. The banner also showed a shot of a Chinese television channel news programme, with words: ‘Lim Guan Eng: (If we) win, find me. (If we) lose then what to do?'.
The banner, which was erected on May 1, was removed by Election Commission (EC) personnel yesterday at around 11am, following the police report lodged by DAP.
In response, PBS deputy president Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai and other PBS leaders went to meet with the EC Returning Officer cum deputy president of Sandakan Municipal Council (SMC) Mohd Hamsan Awang Supain, to find out why EC had removed the banner.
Yee later told a press conference that the RO had repeatedly confirmed that the banner did not break any rules or regulations under EC.
However, EC removed the banner following order from the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Sandakan police.
“The RO made it clear that there was no element of election offence, from the EC's point of view. The banner was removed because it (EC) was directed by the police to do so.
“We were rather surprised that EC, which is an independent body under its own legislature, independent of any other legislature, has its own power, has its own separate budget granted by Parliament? Why should it be under the directive of the police?” he asked.
The RO also informed Yee that the police were keeping the banner for investigation under Section 504 of the Penal Code for the offence of intentional insult, thereby giving rise to provocation.
Yee said their next move was to set an appointment with the Sandakan police CID to question on the matter and to get their banner back.
At around 6pm on the same day, Yee and other PBS leaders went to the police station for the matter.
Yee held a press conference after that and stated that the police were still keeping the banner for their investigation, but he expressed hope that the officers in charge of investigating the case would speed up the process so that they could claim the banner and use it for the campaign.
“We have requested for the investigating officer(s) to expedite the investigation because to be fair to all parties, we only have ten more days of campaigning period. If there is some offences they think we have committed, please charge us.
“Otherwise, we should have the liberty under the constitutional right, under election rule, to carry on using the billboard that we have claimed responsibility to.
“So, either charge us or release the banner. Don't prolong it. I have been very fair; if this goes on too long, it will impair our campaign strategy, (then) we will have other means to garner our votes, which I don't think is conducive for the whole election exercise,” Yee said.
He added that he had provided full information that was needed by the police, including the interpretation of the words in the banner, as well as the persons in charge with the printing and displaying of the banner.
With Yee at the police station in town here were deputy president Datuk Seri Radin Malleh and PBS information chief Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.