Nenggiri polls: My face is big, not thick like Lau's, says Loke

NENGGIRI POLLS | DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke took a swipe at Gerakan president Dominic Lau today, contrasting his own "big face" to the latter's "thick face".

Speaking to reporters, Loke (above) said he accepted Umno's view that there is little need for DAP's assistance in the ongoing Nenggiri by-election campaign because there are very few Chinese voters.

"I have already said we have the spirit of cooperation. If there was an invitation (from BN), we would go (to Nenggiri).

"If there is no need then we will not go. There is a view that maybe we are not needed. So, I have a big face but it's not thick like Lau's," said the transport minister after a Road Transport Department programme in Gombak.

“But we wish the BN candidate all the best.”

Gerakan president Dominic Lau

Loke's jibe at Lau is believed to be related to tensions between Gerakan and PAS in the run-up to the Nenggiri by-election over the issue of brewery donations to vernacular schools.

At its height, PN election director Muhammad Sanusi Mohd Nor dared Gerakan to make good on its reported threat to leave the coalition if the party was no longer happy working with PAS and Bersatu.

Gerakan was absent during PN's Nenggiri candidate announcement on July 29, but PN secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said last Sunday that "everything has been settled" after a meeting between component party leaders.

Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan, when met on the Nenggiri campaign trail yesterday, said there was little need for assistance from the DAP or BN component MCA in the Malay-majority seat with only 35 Chinese voters.

Ahmad, however, said Umno and BN have no reservations if either party still wishes to come to Nenggiri.

Mahkota state seat

On Mahkota state seat in Johor, Loke reiterated DAP's stand that the principle of incumbency should be respected in naming a candidate for the seat.

"There is no tussle, this is a discussion. It is a normal thing, but we (DAP) have stated our stand," said Loke, echoing Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong.

Kluang Amanah's announcement that the division intended to field a candidate in Mahkota, vacated following the death of its incumbent Syarifah Azizah Syed Zain from Umno, sparked the initial speculations of a tussle between parties in the coalition government.

However, last night, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said demands for Mahkota need not be discussed openly and that focus should remain on reclaiming the Nenggiri seat from PN. - Mkini