Any party can apply to use public facilities, DAP reminds Najib

SANDAKAN POLLS | DAP has refuted former premier Najib Abdul Razak's accusation that it abused Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) assets on the campaign trail for the by-election in the constituency.

Sabah DAP publicity secretary Phoong Jin Zhe said today that any party can apply to use public facilities, and produced his party's letter to MPS to rent a stage and 500 chairs for Monday's ceramah in Sim Sim.

"The Sabah chief minister and Pakatan Harapan leaders have reiterated that the state government and the local council would not stop ruling or opposition parties from using public amenities.

“Unless you say we did not make the application in an appropriate manner, we are not abusing power," he told reporters after a walkabout in Kg Mangkalinau.

"We used the normal and legal way to apply. On April 27, we issued an application letter to the MPS president to rent 500 chairs. He also stamped and acknowledged the application.”

"The chief minister has already said that don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you. Anybody can rent the community hall."

Phoong did not produce the approval letter from MPS, however.

Asked whether DAP would pay the rental fee, he said that he is unsure of the details, but insisted that the party will pay whatever is due.

Najib had uploaded several pictures on his Facebook page this morning showing chairs marked 'MPS' being used at the ceramah. 

"Were MPS assets abused for a DAP ceramah for the Sandakan by-election?" he asked in the post. 

"Never mind. This country is theirs. DAP can do what it wants. Because DAP knows that the Election Commission will take no action.

"Harapan has clearly violated election law repeatedly. However, not a single Harapan leader has been prosecuted. Rule of law, it seems."

Phoong said in a statement later that Najib himself should know that it is common practice for politicians to rent community halls. 

"There is no issue of abuse of government resources, as implied by Najib, as we have followed due process by seeking approval from MPS in writing prior to renting the chairs, and it was granted accordingly.

"As a seasoned politician himself, Najib should know that it is usual practice to rent community halls and the facilities therein, like the chairs, lighting, fans and sound system for events, as long as permission was obtained and granted freely by the parties involved," he said.

The May 11 by-election for Sandakan will see DAP candidate Vivian Wong go up against Parti Bersatu Sabah's Linda Tsen and three independent candidates – Chia Siew Yung, Hamzah Abdullah and Sulaiman Abdul Samad. - Mkini