Pakatan decries ‘dirty, destructive’ campaign

Umno accused of practising gangster politics in Merlimau

MERLIMAU: Umno’s campaign tactics are becoming cheaper, dirtier and more destructive as polling day approaches, according to Pakatan Rakyat officials.

At a press conference here yesterday, PAS information chief Idris Ahmad and Ayer Keroh state assemblyman Khoo Poay Tiong of DAP spoke of slander, vandalism, and noisy disruptions of Pakatan ceramahs.

“Last night, at a ceramah in Chin Chin, a group of youngsters in green shirts bearing the PAS logo created a ruckus as I was speaking,” Idris said.

“They were seated in the crowd and they shouted God is Great, Long live Islam and Long live Umno.”

(The first two slogans have long been associated with PAS.)

“We know these were not our boys,” Idris said.

He also spoke of campaign literature meant to confuse Pakatan supporters.

In front of Polytechnic Merlimau, there are two banners that appear to have been placed there as part of this tactic to confuse voters. One bears an image of PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and the words “A vote for PAS is a vote for heaven.”

The other has PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim’s image and the words “Malacca PAS supports Anwar Ibrahim’s pluralist teaching.”

The same two banners are found at Merlimau Pasir.

Idris said none of the Pakatan parties had anything to do with the banners.

Khoo spoke of the wrecking of a car in front of the DAP operation centre here and said it was only the latest in a series of vandal attacks meant to scare voters and opposition supporters.

The incident happened sometime in the wee hours of Tuesday. The car’s rear windscreen was smashed.

“The car belongs to a local resident who lives at one of the shop lots there,” Khoo said.

“We believe this is an attempt to frighten the locals into voting against Pakatan Rakyat. They targeted a car parked exactly in front of the DAP operation centre.”

Malacca PAS Deputy Commissioner Adly Zahari said the incident was a demonstration of Umno’s “gangster politics”.

“What benefit does this kind of provocation bring to the people?” he said.

He said he was surprised that such incidents would occur despite heavy police presence in Merlimau.