Bid to steal DAP polls campaign truck foiled

The DAP nearly had another of its campaign trucks stolen yesterday, after the theft of its campaign truck in Johor last November.

The truck was parked at a car park near the party headquarters in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.

DAP deputy chairperson Tan Kok Wai said restaurant owner Wan Kwai May (right) had yesterday alerted party workers of an attempt to steal the truck.

According to Wan, a vegetable seller told her that he spotted a suspicious man fiddling inside the truck so he went to confront the man.

"He (the vegetable seller) said he asked the man whether the truck belonged to him.

"The man did not reply and pretended to make a phone call, but he suddenly tried to assault the vegetable seller before running away.

"The vegetable seller borrowed a motorcycle and chased the man, but failed to catch him," Wan told reporters later, adding that the trader suffered a bruised arm.

The three-tonne truck, worth RM150,000, had the lock on its left door damaged. The clutch padlock was also damaged.

DAP treasurer Fong Kui Lun suspects that the thief was trying to start the engine after dismantling the padlock.

Car theft tools found in truck

He said a bag, containing a screwdriver, spanner and a hammer, was found on the seat of the truck.

"The bag could belong to the thief... these are typical car theft tools," Fong said.

A police team arrived at the scene later to investigate.

In November, one of DAP's three newly-launched election war trucks wasstolen in front of the Johor DAP Wanita chief's shophouse.

According to DAP Johor chief Boo Cheng Hau, the truck contained DAP's campaign merchandise and publicity materials.

It was brightly decorated and bore a large picture of the party's mascot, Ubah.

Boo said other trucks in the area were not targeted and he believes the DAP's truck was deliberately stolen to frustrate the party's election campaign plans.