'Robbers!' 'Liars'! Supporters let insults fly in Sg Kandis

SG KANDIS POLLS | Although the nomination process proceeded smoothly for the Sungai Kandis by-election candidates, the situation outside was considerably more electric as supporters traded barbs.

Almost immediately after the candidates entered the Shah Alam City Council hall to file their papers, Pakatan Harapan supporters, who had been gathering as early as 8am, began hurling insults at their BN counterparts.

Shouts of “robbers,’ “thieves” and “rogues” rang out from the Harapan camp.

This follows the freezing the accounts of several Umno divisions by authorities probing alleged misappropriation of funds during the previous BN administration.

Harapan supporters also questioned the absence of former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who has been a vocal critic of his own party since its unprecedented defeat in the May 9 polls.

Not to be outdone, however, BN supporters responded in kind, shouting "Harapan is lying to the people" and "kencing,” a colloquialism for reneging on a promise.

This, in turn, was a reference to the criticism faced by the new government in meeting all the promises it made in its election manifesto.

The verbal war soon escalated, as BN supporters began marching towards the hall where the nomination process was underway – in defiance of the 50-metre rule set for supporters and police warnings to stay back.

This prompted officers from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) to attempt to calm the situation and place barricades to prevent supporters from proceeding further.

The Sungai Kandis by-election will be the first test of voter support for both Harapan and BN since the general election.

For Umno and BN, the contest will be the first undertaken without the backing of the federal government, now on Harapan’s side.

Later in the morning, Harapan’s Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni and BN’s Lokman Noor Adam were announced as candidates, along with independent Murthy Krishnasamy.

Polling takes place on Aug 4.

The Selangor state seat fell vacant at the death of PKR incumbent Mat Shuhaimi Shafiei earlier this month to cancer. - Mkini