GEORGE TOWN, May 18 — Police have set up a special Ops Cantas team to monitor gambling activities during the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said yesterday.

“There have been past instances of betting, on who would win the election. If there is evidence, police will not hesitate to swoop on the culprits,” Bernama quoted him as telling reporters after a briefing on preparations for the by-election, to be held next Sunday, by Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi.

Abdul Rahim said eight reports had been lodged on the campaigning, and two investigation papers opened under Section 24A(1) of the Election Offences Act 1954.

“They involved claims of racism and bringing musical instruments during the nomination process,” he said.

He said the election campaign was under control and running smoothly.

Asked about the claim that DAP was using a Jeep with expired road tax in its campaign trail, Abdul Rahim said police had not received any official report.

“We only saw a report on a blog. If we can track them, we will issue a summons. But we have not seen them using an expired road tax (disc),” he said.

Lee Keng Fatt reports: DAP’s Ramkarpal Singh, who is contesting the by-election, rubbished claims that he was misleading the voters with banners that read “I am Karpal Singh”.

He said the banners and bunting were merely election slogans and not a tactic to use the popularity of his late father.

“It is a slogan and should not be taken literally that I am Karpal Singh. I am his son,” he said.

Independent candidate Mohamed Nabi Bux Nabi Abd Sathar had accused Ramkarpal on Friday of conveying the wrong message to the voters that the late former DAP chairman was contesting and not him.

He said the banners were confusing and gave the voters false information about the DAP candidate.

Nabi Bux said the banners should read “I am the son of Karpal Singh” instead.

He asked the Election Commission to take action.

“Nabi Bux must understand that this is a slogan not meant to be taken literally. I think anybody would understand. It is unfortunate he doesn’t. Obviously I am not Karpal Singh. None of us here is,” Ramkarpal said.

“What ‘I am Karpal Singh’ means is that his spirit lives on in all of us.”

He said he did not see the need to remove the banners ahead of the by-election.

The by-election, called following Karpal’s death in a road accident near Kampar on April 17, will see a four-cornered fight.

In addition to Ramkarpal and Nabi Bux, the others contesting are Huan Cheng Guan of Parti Cinta Malaysia, and an Independent, Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan.