Calling it a trademark BN fear tactic, the opposition however does not want to turn to the EC because that will be a 'waste of time'.
KUCHING: Banners bearing the words “Vote Pakatan Rakyat = Embrace Islamic State” have got Sarawak DAP in a huff.The banners, visible in some parts of Kuching, however bore no Barisan Nasional logo or that of its partner, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
They also did not show who the printers or publishers of the banners were, said DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen yesterday.
Condemning the banners, he said that certain quarters were bent on “inciting people on religious issues.”
“This is a smear campaign against Pakatan, and the voters should treat such propaganda as rubbish and untrue.
“Nobody dares to claim responsibility for the banners which have no logos of BN or SUPP and without the names of the printers and publishers.
“And it shows one thing that even SUPP is afraid to associate itself with what is stated in the banners,” said Chong who is the candidate for Kota Sentosa.
Asked whether DAP would lodge a report with the Election Commission (EC), the DAP leader said that there was no point in doing so.
“So I don’t want to waste my time,” he added.
He said unlike in the past state elections, this time round there were serious contraventions of the Election Offences Act.
“While we stick to the rules that all our banners and pamphlets bear the DAP logo and the names of the printers and publishers, there are banners and pamphlets which have no logo, or the names of the printers and publishers.
“When we report such offences to the EC, they will allow it to happen. And they will not take action. The EC is useless and bias on anything that attacks Pakatan,” he added.
PAS: Typical BN ‘dirty tactic’
Meanwhile, PAS MP for Shah Alam, Khalid Abdul Samad, who was present at the press conference said that it was a typical BN “dirty tactic” to frighten people.
“It’s a scare tactic so people will be afraid to vote for Pakatan. Even though PAS, DAP and PKR have their separate constitutions, as far as we are concerned, Pakatan governs based on consensus.
“Currently if you see in Selangor, Kedah, Penang and even in Kelantan, we agree on what we want to implement. What is to be done is debated and discussed before we implement it,” he stressed.
He said that there was “no attempt” by PAS to impose its opinions or views regarding this matter on Pakatan.
“As far as we are concerned in Sarawak, PAS only has five candidates out of the 71 seats in the state,” he said, adding that BN had been using such tactics for a long time in Peninsular Malaysia
“In front of the Malays, they say that PAS has no power and is being used by DAP. To the Chinese, they will tell them that DAP is being used by PAS. Such tactics are no longer effective,” he said.
Khalid said the main intention was to create fear so that the people would not have any alternative but to vote for BN.
“This is the kind of message that they want to disseminate to the people. And there is no reason for the people of Sarawak to be taken in by this type of cheap and irresponsible propaganda.
“We are a workable coalition and we have proven it,” he said.
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