Harapan using gov't vehicle – Kit Siang passes the wheel to campaign director

CAMERON POLLS | Lim Kit Siang has declined to comment on Pakatan Harapan using Pahang Forestry Department's four-wheel drive vehicles in its Cameron Highlands by-election campaign.

“No comment. Let the (campaign) director and the officers ( answer) [...] I have been in and out (of Cameron Highlands).

"Let those responsible for the campaign answer you, whoever they are,” the DAP veteran told a press conference in Kampung Raja earlier this morning.

When questioned on the allegation that it was Deputy Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji who used the vehicle, Lim said he wanted to find out the DAP lawmaker's position on the matter first.

“I have to find out from Tengku Zulpuri what is his position (in this matter). On hand, I cannot answer you, I have to find out (first),” he added.

Previously, Pahang state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak confirmed that the vehicles were loaned to a deputy minister for official use.

Sallehuddin, however, instructed for them to be returned after a vehicle was found to have been plastered with Harapan flags in Cameron Highlands.

This followed the claim by PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man that a deputy minister used his powers to obtain five Forestry Department vehicles for an Orang Asli programme.

Tengku Zulpuri (photo), who is also Raub MP, is in charge of Harapan's Cameron Highlands by-election campaign in Jelai.

Two days ago, BN candidate Ramli Mohd Nor lodged a police report on the alleged abuse of official resources concerning the vehicle.

Ramli then lodged a second report, this one against Tengku Zulpuri, alleging that the latter stopped the vehicle the BN candidate and his aides were travelling in while approaching Kampung Koyan, on Sunday.

"We were blocked by a man who stood on the middle of the road, and when we stopped, we were greeted with a rude voice asking one of my aides to surrender his phone.

"When one of my aides went down from the car to calm the situation, we realised that the man was Tengku Zulpuri.

"Then he climbed into our car with the intention to snatch the mobile phone of my aide, and he also uttered bad words at our driver and passengers in the car," he added. - Mkini