FMT:
Enough finger-pointing
over Sungai Bakap loss,
says DAP man
Jason Hng rubbishes an Umno veteran’s claim that DAP leaders had failed to approach Chinese voters during the by-election campaign.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP man has called for a halt to finger-pointing over the unity coalition’s Sungai Bakap by-election loss, after an Umno veteran claimed DAP leaders failed to approach Chinese voters during the campaign.
Penang DAP organising secretary Jason Hng rubbished the claim by Umno veterans’ club secretary Mustapha Yaakub, saying every component of the unity government played their part in the by-election campaign.
“DAP leaders were tirelessly on the ground throughout the by-election campaign period to help campaign (for Pakatan Harapan’s Joohari Ariffin),” he said in a statement.
Hng said all leaders in the unity alliance should respect the decision of the Sungai Bakap voters and seek to improve their service to the people, rather than try to pass the blame to others.
Yesterday, Mustapha said the Umno veterans’ club received information that DAP leaders had failed to approach the Chinese voters, some of whom were unaware that there was a by-election while others admitted that they had no reason to vote.
FMT reported that fewer than half the 8,642 Chinese voters in Sungai Bakap went to the polls on Saturday, according to data from Perikatan Nasional.
Hng, who is also a state executive councillor, acknowledged that some may not be receptive to the “wave of change” being carried out by the unity federal government.
Though he did not specify what “change” he was talking about, he is believed to have been referring to the targeted diesel subsidies, among others.
Nonetheless, he said, the Penang government will intensify its efforts to look after the people and implement policies that would benefit them in the long run.
“The (state) unity government will also increase its efforts to listen to the voice of the grassroots so that we can serve the people better and regain their confidence and support.”
On Saturday, PN retained the Sungai Bakap seat by a majority of 4,267 votes. PN’s candidate Abidin Ismail of PAS secured 14,489 votes compared to the 10,222 votes obtained by his PH rival, Joohari.
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