MUHYIDDIN: SET ASIDE DIFFERENCES FOR CAMPAIGN
Disgruntled DAP members are a minority, shouldn’t sabotage campaign, say PH leaders
TWO top Pakatan Harapan leaders reminded several DAP members who were disgruntled with the coalition’s top leadership to set aside their differences and aid the Tanjung Piai by-election campaign.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Parti Amanah Negara communications director Khalid Abdul Samad said the main responsibility of PH members was to ensure victory at the polls.
Muhyiddin said PH candidate Karmaine Sardini represented the whole coalition.
“Let’s be realistic. We can’t expect 100 per cent satisfaction (for all issues). But I hope they (dissatisfied DAP members) understand that we are fielding a PH candidate here.
“Regardless of whether you are from DAP, PKR, Bersatu or Amanah, you should put aside your unhappiness and remember your responsibility (to campaign for PH).
“To those who are still unhappy, don’t do it (sabotage the campaign). This is about PH,” Muhyiddin said yesterday.
Khalid said disgruntled DAP members, who represent only a small fraction of the party, did not understand the political ramifications of their actions.
He said he was confident the dissatisfaction was not shared by DAP’s top leadership.
He cautioned DAP that MCA could regain clout in politics.
“Since the Barisan Nasional candidate is from MCA, I believe it is important for DAP to ensure MCA’s defeat.
“If there is anyone (from DAP) who refuses to support (PH’s campaign), they are only part of a small minority who don’t understand the political implications of this situation.
“I believe the party leadership understands that MCA is trying to make a comeback, so DAP will look at this matter seriously to ensure MCA is defeated.” On Tuesday, the New Straits Times reported that there was a disconnect between the DAP Central Executive Committee, particularly its 13 cabinet members, and the party’s grassroots leaders and supporters.
Several issues — including the country’s economic performance, the arrest of two DAP leaders over alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam group and the controversial pro-China comic book — had led to discontent among the grassroots. DAP’s Skudai assemblyman, Tan Hong Pin, recently admitted that there was frustration among the grassroots and implied that there was sabotage in the party’s election machinery. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had said these problems were a chink in the party’s armour and did not deny that there was “unhappiness” in the party and the PH coalition. On PH’s campaign, Muhyiddin said based on data, 12 per cent of voters in Tanjung Piai were fence sitters and most were aged 35 to 45.
The PH machinery aimed to win the support of fence sitters. “I think they will decide in one or two days. We have received reports indicating that things look good for PH,” Muhyiddin said.
“Recent responses from Malay, Chinese and Indian voters are in our favour and I believe it is because of our leaders’ efforts in going to the ground to explain national issues to the electorate.
“This is really good news, but we cannot rest on our laurels. We still have two days and this is the most critical period.”
He said up to 8,000 outstation voters had yet to return to Tanjung Piai.
“As for the voter turnout, based on our conversation with voters here, it looks like almost 100 per cent will go out to vote.”
The Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat fell vacant after Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, who was also deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, died on Sept 21 due to heart complications.
In the 14th General Election, Dr Farid of PH won the seat after polling 21,255 votes to defeat BN’s Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng (20,731 votes) and Pas’ Nordin Othman (2,962 votes).
This by-election will see a sixcornered fight between Karmaine, Wee, Wendy Subramaniam (Gerakan), Datuk Dr Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz (Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia) and independents Dr Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghani.