PUTRAJAYA, July 27 — PKR vice-president Dr Xavier Jayakumar accused Sungai Kandis candidate Datuk Lokman Noor Adam today of playing up racial and religious issues after the Umno man claimed "LGBT belly dancers” had performed during a Pakatan Harapan (PH) fundraiser.

Speaking at a press conference, the newly-minted water, land and natural resources minister said this was a reflection that the Opposition party no longer had any issues to raise to win votes.

"The main angle for the election in Sungai Kandis shows very clearly Umno has lost in terms of issues...They are playing on the issue of race, religion and now this LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender].

"And how that plays into Sungai Kandis I’m not sure because 71 per cent of the voters are Muslim Malays,” he said.

Dr Xavier also reminded Lokman of his PKR roots, especially how the party had looked after Lokman’s family while he was incarcerated under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

"I have known him since the 1998 during Reformasi days. Lokman forgot who helped him when he was in trouble in 1998. During that time, he was caught under ISA. He has forgotten how we took care of his family and all that,” he said.

At that time, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister. The authorities had arrested Lokman and others, including PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, for allegedly procuring weapons and explosives to topple the Barisan Nasional government.