Huge crowd throngs DAP ceramah in Kampung Dato
SIBU: Thousands of people thronged Kampong Dato here to watch Democratic Action Party (DAP) star speaker Nga Kor Ming rally for the DAP candidates at the DAP ceramah (campaign) on Monday night.
The crowd exceeded the chairs set up for the attendees and many stood at the five-footways at nearby shophouses or at the roadside, with many bringing their own chairs and stools to listen to what Nga had to deliver.
Nga arrived at the venue at about 8.30pm and as he was ushered up the stage, he had to wait for at least 10 seconds for the crowd to calm down before he could speak.
“According to the latest Merdeka Centre Survey, Pakatan Haparan (PH) can win 91 seats in the upcoming 15th General Election. It is now up to the voters of Sarawak and Sabah to win the remaining 20 over seats in these two Eastern states so that we can reach the minimum 112 seats for a new government to be formed on the night of Nov 19,” he said to loud cheers.
Among those at the event were DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, Lanang candidate Alice Lau and Sibu candidate Oscar Ling.
The Perak DAP chairman said Sibu, or the Little Foochow of Sarawak, is set to become the starting point of the democratic reform movement in this election.
“So, by all means, call back all your children and relatives who are working or studying in the Peninsula, Singapore or outstation to come back to vote on Nov 19. Every single vote counts,” he added.
He said caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri had, after under heavy pressure to emulate the state government of Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan, declared Nov 18 and 19 as public holidays to enable voters to exercise their right to vote.
“With three days holiday, the voters should return in full force to celebrate the reunion dinners with their families. Everyone should come out to vote and only then the country will move in the right direction.”
The Teluk Intan incumbent said the election this time is a federal election and is about choosing the right government to give the people a bright and better future.
“This is not a state election whereby we will elect state assemblymen or councillors. This is a federal election and we are electing Members of Parliament (MPs) to choose a government that is clean and without corruption. Remember, the people’s livelihood will be better and the people will have money in their pockets only if the government is not corrupt,” he stressed.
Nga said Setiawan, popularly known as the Little Foochow in the Peninsula, had been a stronghold of DAP since 1969.
“We have never lost a single election in Setiawan and such is the spirit which the Foochows here ought to emulate.”
He said Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) was already given the power to rule the state in the last state election and the voters should pick PH now to provide checks and balances.
He said picking PH is the best choice to have a capable prime minister.
“Only PH’s Prime Minister candidate Anwar Ibrahim is your best and only choice. Anwar is a leader who will take care of the multi-racial population of our country and under his leadership, the country will grow,” he added.
He said picking GPS is equivalent to picking BN and if BN wins, then corruption will continue in the country and soon, it will become `Sri Lanka’ which has gone bankrupt.
He also warned against picking Perikatan Nasional (PN) which comprises the Malay-based Bersatu and the Islamist PAS.
He said if PN wins, then the landscape of Malaysia would turn `green’ as PAS already announced that Kelantan, Perak, Terengganu and Pahang would all have Mentri Besars.
Furthermore, he pointed out, PAS would try to implement extremist policies which could upset the secular values of the multiracial society in the country.
He said the policies that PAS would try to enforce will compromise the rights of nonMuslims and could drive away foreign investors, eventually ruining the country, hence causing a tsunami of inflation across the country.
“If PN or BN becomes the government again after the election, the people will continue to suffer. Only when PH becomes the government would the people not have to suffer anymore.”