TELUK INTAN, May 28 ― Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk Mah Siew Keong distanced himself today from the unusual rally last night where over 150 alleged DAP members were unveiled as recent defectors to the ruling coalition.

When approached on the matter, the Gerakan president said he did not organise the event, which was officiated by BN ally and Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

“I have no comment, it was not done by me. Please,” Mah said during a visit to a furniture factory that burnt down late last night here.

“Every night, there will be numerous rallies. Whether they were real or not, I do not know.”

Mah said he refused to comment because he does not have the rights facts with him, but promised to respond when he obtains them.

Instead, he told reporters to ask DAP candidate Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud about several videos uploaded online that allegedly discredits BN in Teluk Intan.

Mah said the videos alleged that the burnt-down factory was a DAP operation centre that fell victim to arson by BN supporters.

At an event yesterday, BN claimed that 150 dissatisfied DAP members had left the opposition party although one woman trotted out as a defector later told reporters she remains with DAP.

The event, which was attended by a mostly Indian crowd of around 200 people, saw three ethnic Indian women presented as DAP supporters who had shifted their allegiance to BN.

They were said to have left DAP frustrated for not getting aid under the two previous Teluk Intan MPs from the party.

Most of the people at the function — where food like noodles were served — then crowded at a nearby house, where boxes containing Milo, milk powder, sugar, cream crackers, condensed milk, flour and curry powder were given out.

Mah, 53, will take on Dyana, 26, in a straight fight on May 31.