KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — With less than 24 hours to the start of polling in the Sungai Limau by-election, the DAP urged Chinese voters in the Kedah state seat to cast their ballots for Islamist PAS to send a clear message to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) they were against racial politics “threats, revenge, and discrimination”.

The secular opposition party’s national vice-chairman, Teresa Kok, rallied behind its Islamist partner to denounce Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, whom she accused of discriminating against and punishing the Chinese voters in revenge for the BN’s reduced votes from the community in the May 5 general election.

Kok said that although Putrajaya has announced an allocation of more than RM2 million for three Chinese primary schools ahead of the Sungai Limau by-election, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek had told the China Press daily that similar funding could not be expected in the future if the Chinese did not back BN.

“I call on the Chinese voters to vote PAS candidate Mohd Azam Abdul Samat so as to send a clear message to the BN government that while they welcome allocations for Chinese schools, they will not be cowed by BN ‘s politics of threat, revenge and discrimination,” Kok said in a statement today.

“A fair government will never punish the voters and what Chua Soi Lek said is no different from what Mukhriz said before – that the BN government’s assistance to Chinese schools is hinged on their support for BN. Chinese voters in Sungai Limau state constituency must not succumb to such politics of threat, revenge and discrimination of the BN government,” added the Seputeh MP.

She also stressed that Putrajaya should make regular allocations to Chinese schools based on need, and not just during general elections or by-elections.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir reportedly said last September that the state government would not entertain requests from Chinese schools in the Malay-majority state, as he could not neglect those who backed BN.

“It is obvious to all that BN’s U-turn on the issue of allocation to Chinese schools is due to its political need as BN is eager to solicit support from the 1,800 Chinese voters who will be voting in the Sungai Limau by-election,” said Kok.

Polling day for the by-election in the Sungai Limau state constituency in Kedah falls tomorrow.

BN’s Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim is contesting against Mohd Azam after the incumbent representative Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak died on September 26 after a struggle with ill health related to diabetes, aged 69.