BUKIT GELUGOR Pakatan Rakyat leaders came together last night in a show of force for the mini-finale in the Bukit Gelugor by-election campaign which ends at midnight today.
They were greeted by thousands who packed the Han Chiang College hall amid an air of festivities, with the crowd in high spirits, cheering loudly whenever the coalition’s top leaders arrived.
As Bukit Gelugor candidate Ramkarpal Singh arrived at 9pm, shouts of “Ramkarpal! Ramkarpal!” reverberated in the hall.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng received the same reception when he arrived at 9.43pm as the crowd chanted his name repeatedly.
Shouts of “Reformasi” accompanied by DAP, PKR and PAS flags were seen waving vigorously as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim arrived at 9.50pm with a sling around his right arm, an injury which he sustained in a minor car accident last week.
Many jostled to snap photos of Anwar and a few reached out to touch him as he was ushered into the hall amid loud cheers from the crowd.
As opposition leader started to speak, many tried to inch their way to the area in front of the stage to hear him.
Anwar spoke fiercely and at the top of his voice, telling Penangites not to be scared of the small group of samseng (gangsters) who forced their way into the Penang legislative assembly on Wednesday.
“Umno is getting desperate and lack issues - that is why they have the samsengs. Are you sacred of the 20 Umno samsengs who entered the Dewan? Don’t be scared of them!” he stormed.
“This is not ‘69 when the racial riots happened. This is not a battle for Umno but a battle for all Malaysians. This is not a fight only for the Malays or Chinese but for all Malaysians,” he added to loud cheers from the crowd.
“Theirs is dirty politics, but we must continue to fight them. Tell the Malay samsengs that their fight is not with the Chinese alone but with all Malaysians,” he added.
Where are you, Zahid?
Anwar gave an assurance that Guan Eng would take the Penang assembly intrusion seriously, saying he would stand with the DAP secretary-general to see this through.
He ticked off Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, asking, “Where are you? Are you doing your job?
“If BN cannot ensure the safety and security of the nation or defend the unity of this country, then please leave!” he said to thunderous applause.
He was referring to the angry mob who were after Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer for calling three Umno leaders - MPs Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Kepala Batas) and Shabudin Yahya (Tasek Gelugor) and Umno state deputy chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir - “celaka” (damned).
Rayer was upset with the trio for being part of a rally in Seberang Jaya in January where banners blaming DAP for the May 13 racial riots were unfurled.
Polling for the Bukit Gelugor by-election - a contest between DAP’s Ramkarpal and three independents - is on Sunday.
They were greeted by thousands who packed the Han Chiang College hall amid an air of festivities, with the crowd in high spirits, cheering loudly whenever the coalition’s top leaders arrived.
As Bukit Gelugor candidate Ramkarpal Singh arrived at 9pm, shouts of “Ramkarpal! Ramkarpal!” reverberated in the hall.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng received the same reception when he arrived at 9.43pm as the crowd chanted his name repeatedly.
Shouts of “Reformasi” accompanied by DAP, PKR and PAS flags were seen waving vigorously as PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim arrived at 9.50pm with a sling around his right arm, an injury which he sustained in a minor car accident last week.Many jostled to snap photos of Anwar and a few reached out to touch him as he was ushered into the hall amid loud cheers from the crowd.
As opposition leader started to speak, many tried to inch their way to the area in front of the stage to hear him.
Anwar spoke fiercely and at the top of his voice, telling Penangites not to be scared of the small group of samseng (gangsters) who forced their way into the Penang legislative assembly on Wednesday.
“Umno is getting desperate and lack issues - that is why they have the samsengs. Are you sacred of the 20 Umno samsengs who entered the Dewan? Don’t be scared of them!” he stormed.
“This is not ‘69 when the racial riots happened. This is not a battle for Umno but a battle for all Malaysians. This is not a fight only for the Malays or Chinese but for all Malaysians,” he added to loud cheers from the crowd.
“Theirs is dirty politics, but we must continue to fight them. Tell the Malay samsengs that their fight is not with the Chinese alone but with all Malaysians,” he added.
Where are you, Zahid?
Anwar gave an assurance that Guan Eng would take the Penang assembly intrusion seriously, saying he would stand with the DAP secretary-general to see this through.
He ticked off Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, asking, “Where are you? Are you doing your job?
“If BN cannot ensure the safety and security of the nation or defend the unity of this country, then please leave!” he said to thunderous applause.
He was referring to the angry mob who were after Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer for calling three Umno leaders - MPs Reezal Merican Naina Merican (Kepala Batas) and Shabudin Yahya (Tasek Gelugor) and Umno state deputy chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir - “celaka” (damned).
Rayer was upset with the trio for being part of a rally in Seberang Jaya in January where banners blaming DAP for the May 13 racial riots were unfurled.
Polling for the Bukit Gelugor by-election - a contest between DAP’s Ramkarpal and three independents - is on Sunday.
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