Chinese voters in Mahkota were told not to be swayed
A DAP leader has appealed to Chinese voters in Mahkota not to be swayed by the dispute between Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh and DAP vice-president Teresa Kok ahead of Saturday’s by-election.
Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi said the clash between the two leaders was personal, adding that Akmal’s criticism of Kok’s resistance to a proposal for mandatory halal certification should not stop voters from casting their ballots. Chinese voters in Mahkota were told not to be swayed by Akmal.
Certain parties have been spreading poison-pen letters urging Chinese voters to stay away from the by-election.
However, Wong urged voters in Mahkota to make a rational choice, emphasizing that the by-election is an opportunity to select a representative who can effectively voice the concerns of local residents and serve as a bridge between the state government and the public.
That (dispute between Akmal and Kok) is a personal issue,
she said at an event held at a local coffee factory here.
“Voters must remember that in this by-election, we are choosing a candidate who can work with YB Chew (Mengkibol assemblyman Chew Chong Sin) and myself to safeguard the interests of Kluang folk.
We are not electing a state assemblyman for another constituency … So make sure you all come out to vote.
The Mahkota by-election will see BN’s Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah taking on Perikatan Nasional’s Haizan Jaafar.
Akmal has been outspoken over a range of issues since the formation of the unity government, including the proposal to make Emergency-era New Villages a Unesco world heritage site, KK Mart’s sale of socks bearing the word Allah, and the role of vernacular schools.
His most recent outburst was over the mandatory halal certification issue, in which he slammed Kok for opposing the proposal – which the Cabinet has since decided not to implement.
Akmal had called Kok a
nyonya tua
and warned her against speaking on matters concerning Islam.
Pundits have warned Umno that Akmal’s tirade could cost the party in Mahkota, where Chinese voters make up about 35% of the electorate.
Meanwhile, Wong expressed hope that Chinese voters residing outside of Kluang would return to cast their votes this Saturday.
She acknowledged that many people had just returned to Mahkota for the mid-Autumn Festival last week and might be hesitant to come back on Saturday.
However, she stressed that voting for BN would serve as a key signal to investors that the unity government is stable, which Wong said would ultimately benefit Johoreans.