PONTIAN, Nov 4 — Tanjung Piai voters have been cautioned to not give in to the Opposition’s tactics of playing up racial issues that can incite hatred among communities, said Pakatan Harapan (PH) deputy president Mohamad Sabu.
He said such issues by the Opposition bloc were seen to have escalated after the previous general election in May last year.
“They (Opposition) constantly play-up racial issues. The Malay community thinks that we (PH) are being used by the DAP.
“DAP, on the other hand, feel that they are being used by (Prime Minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The relations between two races (Malays and Chinese) then became tense,” said Mohamad during the Bicara Kopitiam forum in Taman Utama, Pekan Nanas here tonight.
Johor Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chief Aminolhuda Hassan, Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong and PH’s Tanjung Piai candidate Karmaine Sardini was also present as part of his by-election campaign.
They were joined by more than 50 supporters and members of the public in the restaurant.
On the ruling coalition’s chances of clinching the by-election, Mohamad or popularly known as Mat Sabu, said it was important for PH to assist by explaining the various policies that have been supported by the government.
Mohamad, who is also the Defence Minister, urged PH to put in more effort in the run-up to the by-election.
The Tanjung Piai by-election will see a six-cornered contest between PH’s Karmaine Sardini, Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng, Gerakan’s Wendy Subramaniam, Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia’s (Berjasa) Datuk Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz and two independent candidates Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abdul Ghaffar.
The by-election was called following the death of incumbent PH’s Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik from Parti Pribimi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) on September 21.
Election Commision (EC) has set early voting on November 12, while polling is on November 16.
