DAP fends off SUPP attacks, while Soi Lek offers redundant advice

According to critics of George Chan, SUPP has no qualms in using 'dirty' measures to capture the Chinese vote now that the campaigning for the 10th Sarawak State Elections has reached fever pitch.

At the other end of the pendulum, MCA president Chua Soi Lek has been going around the hustings claiming that it was pointless for the Chinese to vote DAP as Pakatan Rakyat would not be able to form the state government. So, to ensure that the Chinese voice can be heard in the state legislative assembly, it was best to vote SUPP.

That's theory propounded by the BN and its supporters. But to their detractors and many fence-sitters, this argument holds no water. They point out that SUPP has been the Chinese voice in the SLA for 30 years, the same number of years that Taib Mahmud has been Chief Minister. Yet the Chinese remain neglected and their woes and grouses cast in the rubbish bin.

"SUPP is voiceless in the SLA. They are just there for show, as a token Chinese presence. It is just another smokescreen to showcase BN's multi-racial approach. Now that they are under threat from DAP, they want to make noise," DAP MP for Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen told Malaysia Chronicle.

Buntings, banners, the EC and postal votes

Chong is among the host of Pakatan Rakyat leaders under intense attack by the SUPP and its supporters. Recently, the SUPP held a noisy and rowdy demonstration in front of the Kuching service centre to smear his capability. According to Chong, the police took no action despite the rowdiness.

There have also been billboards, banners and buntings mocking Pakatan leaders with insulting caricatures. These items bear no party logo nor is the name of the advertising company shown. This is in direct contravention of the Election Commission's stipulations, but again the police have not insisted that they are removed.

"It is useless to complain to the EC as they won't take action. EC will ask for details like the party logo and when there is none, they will give the excuse that they cannot act due to lack of information. Even when the party logo is there, they will not act, what more so than when there is none," said Chong, who is also the incumbent assemblyman for Kota Sentosa.

Kota Sentosa is made up of 69 per cent Chinese voters, 13 per cent Iban, 11 per cent Malay-Melanau and 7 per cent Bidayuh.

Chong rates his chances of retaining this seat as 50-50 due to a sudden and "shocking" increase of 3,000 postal votes.

Cry-babies, rhetoric and theatrics

In Bukit Assek, another sort of publicity stunt was recently reported and SUPP's Chieng Huong Toon was accused of being a "cry-baby".

Speaking tearfully, Chieng held a press conference in front of his service centre. He pointed to a wall and a banner, both of which had been splashed with red paint. He also held up a piece of paper with a drawing of a Rocket for all to see. He accused the DAP of the vandalism.

But DAP Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng denied it was the work of his party. To him, Chieng was just out to get media attention and public sympathy at the DAP's expense.

The Bukit Assek seat has 94 per cent Chinese voters.

"Even PAS did not make any noise when their operations centre in Tanjong Dato was splashed with paint!" Wong told Malaysia Chronicle.

Whoever is telling the truth, as polling day creeps nearer, what can be anticipated is that both sides will crank up the rhetoric and even theatrics in the bid to win the hearts and minds of voters.

For SUPP and its president George Chan, both have been complacent for 30 years. They will surely up the ante in the hours remaining to the crucial balloting day.

For DAP, the prognosis so far has been superb and beyond expectations. But it remains to be seen if the public adulation for the party's leaders will translate into cold hard ballots.