KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — The Tanjung Piai by-election is important as a guide for future policies and whether reforms should be continued, said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

He said those disappointed by the pace of the Pakatan Harapan government’s reform agenda in its first 18 months must avoid falling into the trap of “corrupt kleptocrats”, who hope to defeat the coalition.

“These corrupt kleptocrats do not want to see Malaysia become a top world-class nation of unity, justice, freedom, excellence and integrity because there would be no room or opportunity for them for corruption and abuses of power,” Lim said during a ceramah at Pekan Nenas yesterday night.

On the by-election itself, the Iskandar Puteri MP said he has seen a great deal of lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech through WhatsApp messages in the past few days, and is expecting a further explosion on the eve of the polling day on Saturday.

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“Tanjong Piai has proved to be a WhatsApp by-election, where the greatest influence on the voters is not the print newspapers but what the voters get on their mobile phones every second of the day.

“One constant theme in the lies, falsehoods, fake news and hate speech is the message to Malay voters that under the Pakatan Harapan government, the Malays and Muslims have lost their political power and rights because DAP is the power behind the throne in Putrajaya, while the message to the Chinese voters is the exact opposite — that the Chinese have lost their rights and position because the DAP had sold them out to Bersatu,” Lim said.

He added such lies will be a test of Tanjung Piai constituents’ media literacy, and their ability to see through the lies and falsehood of these contradictory allegations to different racial and religious groups.

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“Pakatan Harapan stands for the co-operation of the different races and religions in the country and upholds the fundamental features of the Malaysian Constitution, for this is the only formula for Malaysia to become a united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous nation as extreme positions of race and religion can only jeopardise future generations and tear Malaysia apart, Lim said.