Teng said that the DAP candidate for Teluk Intan had disavowed links with the controversial Malay rights group at first, before recently acknowledging that her mother, Yammy Samat, was a Perkasa member.

He also pointed out that in a May 19 report by Chinese newspaper Nanyang Siang Pau, Dyana had said she was against the implementation of hudud; but in an video interview broadcast online by KiniTV on May 21, the 26-year-old was shown saying she has never rejected the Islamic penal code.

“We’re worried that when she gets elected, she’ll be remote-controlled by the DAP leadership,” Teng told a press conference at the Gerakan office here.

The DAP aspiring lawmaker, Dyana, told The Malay Mail Online in a recent interview that while she believed in the ideals of hudud, she upheld her party position that the Islamic criminal law could not be implemented in Malaysia.

Yesterday, Dyana conceded that her first remark denying her mother’s Perkasa membership was made out of ignorance.

In the same news conference, Dyana’s mother, Yammy announced she was quitting Perkasa, adding that her decision to formally part ways with the group was to save her daughter from being further questioned about the link.

Teng said today that DAP leaders frequently answered on behalf of Dyana at press conferences.

“When questioned on the link to Perkasa, it was Tony Pua who was the first one to answer. When she cannot answer, Lim Kit Siang took over the mic,” said Teng.

At the same press conference today, Gerakan secretary-general Liang Teck Meng said that Dyana Sofya’s election manifesto merely contained “empty promises”.

“There are no specific plans on improving the local economy,” said Liang.

Liang, who is also the Simpang Renggam MP, accused Dyana of copying Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong’s manifesto in the Teluk Intan by-election, specifically the pledge to develop the youth.

“We want to build a futsal hall, Wi-Fi zones, bring in a university,” said Teng.

Dyana will take on Mah, 53, in a straight fight for the Teluk Intan federal seat in Perak this Saturday.