In tit for tat, DAP puts out ads linking MCA to Perkasa

Pua holds up a copy of a newspaper containing DAP’s advertisement, in Klang May 1, 2013. — Picture by Boo Su-LynKLANG, May 1 ― The DAP has started advertising in Chinese newspapers to link MCA to Malay rights group Perkasa, hitting back at the Barisan Nasional (BN) party for running it down in a series of print advertisements since last week.

The black-and-white advertisements, which will run in Sin Chew Daily and China Press from today until the eve of polling day on Sunday, say that a vote for MCA is a vote for Umno and Perkasa.

The advertisements also feature a photograph of Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali holding a keris, as well as that of vice-president Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, who is standing on a BN ticket in Shah Alam.

“One vote for MCA equals to one vote for Umno and a vote for Perkasa ― Zulkifli Noordin and Ibrahim Ali,” DAP publicity chief Tony Pua told reporters at a coffeeshop here today.

“You want Perkasa or you prefer a moderate PAS?” added Pua, who is defending his Petaling Jaya Utara federal seat in Election 2013.

Pua pointed out Zulkifli’s candidacy under BN and Ibrahim contesting the Pasir Mas state seat in a straight fight after the BN candidate failed to file his nomination papers, as evidence of the link.

The MCA-owned daily, The Star, has been running full-page advertisements in the run-up to Election 2013 that allege that PAS will implement the controversial hudud Islamic penal law if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins federal power.

Advertisements have also been played on radio station Capital FM, owned by the Star Radio Group, that attack the DAP as PAS’s ally and say: “Who says DAP is good for you?”

When asked if the DAP was inciting racial sentiments with its advertisements showing Ibrahim holding a keris, Pua said: “We want to show that Perkasa is a racist group and BN appointed their racists to be their MPs.”

“Someone who goes into an Indian shop and says their god is useless is a bigot,” he added, referring to Zulkifli’s comments that were uploaded on YouTube recently.

Zulkifli, who is running against PAS incumbent Khalid Samad, was also recorded as questioning the purity of the Ganges River that is considered sacred by Hindus.

Caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, however, has defended Zulkifli as a champion of Indian issues in Shah Alam, despite MIC leader S. Vell Paari’s warning that Zulkifli would cost BN its attempt to regain Selangor.

Today, Pua said that The Star refused to run DAP’s advertisements.

“It’s a public paper. Yet, they don’t want to accept a simple advertisement. It’s nothing more than what they are publishing on multiple pages every day,” he said.

“This is clearly a case why there’s no media freedom, especially in the English and Malay channels,” added Pua.

Pua also said that Malay dailies Harian Metro and Kosmo! told the DAP that they could not run PR advertisements.

Harian Metro is owned by the Umno-linked New Straits Times Press Berhad, while tabloid Kosmo! is owned by Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Berhad.

Sin Chew is owned by the Sin Chew Media Corporation Berhad that is headed by timber tycoon Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King, while China Press is owned by the Nanyang Press Holdings Berhad.