SANDAKAN POLLS | With voting for the Sandakan by-election just a day away, the opposition presented a united front in support of PBS candidate Linda Tsen at a ceramah last night.
The first ceramah of its kind in this campaign to feature leaders from different opposition parties speaking, it also marked Tsen’s maiden speech at a public ceramah.
The 63-year-old told the crowd of about 500 people that she would bring the issues plaguing Sandakan to Parliament if she were to be elected.
Such issues, she said, included Sabahan’s rights under the Malaysian Agreement 1963, education loan PTPTN, people’s aid BR1M and oil royalty.
Halfway through her speech, Tsen told the majority Malay crowd that she would like to continue speaking in Chinese. Nevertheless, the confused crowd cheered at random moments during the rest of her speech.
Other leaders in attendance included Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin, former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan, PAS Pengkalan Chepa MP Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, Usno member Pandikar Amin Mulia and SAPP president Yong Teck Lee. Representatives from Star were also present.
In his speech, Abdul Rahman (photo) described Tsen, the former Batu Sapi MP as “soft, flexible and beautiful” while urging people to vote for her.
Tsen, he said, could give DAP a “political slap” for being arrogant if she were to win the Sandakan by-election.
“She can give a political slap to DAP so they can wake up from arrogance.
“Do not worry, Tsen, as far as Umno supporters are concerned, we will support you 150 percent,” Abdul Rahman said at the ceramah held in Bandar Indah Jaya in Sandakan town.
In his speech, Pandikar went on the offence against Pakatan Harapan and Warisan, mocking their leaders and lawmakers by imitating them.
“One leader said, ‘Today we will take Putrajaya, tomorrow the petrol prices will be lowered’. Do you know who said this?” Pandikar asked, putting on a voice. Someone in the crowd shouted, “(PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim.”
Pandikar then put on another voice, saying: “This is from DAP, ‘today we win Putrajaya, tomorrow tolls will be free’. Who said this? (Communications and Multimedia Minister) Gobind Singh Deo.
“Are the tolls in Peninsular Malaysia free today? No,” he said.
Yet again, he put on another voice, this time imitating Damansara MP Tony Pua, talking about how the prices of goods will fall once the sales and service tax (SST) is reinstated.
“This is a government built on lies and accusations.
“I am an Usno member and I want to tell all the leaders here that you can count me as a friend to destroy this Pakatan Harapan government,” Pandikar said.
Describing Warisan as an ‘ostrich’, he said the ruling party in Sabah is like a flightless bird, which has a big body but cannot fly.
If Warisan wants to stay true to its message that it will protect Sabah rights, why is it working with Pakatan Harapan and even forming a government in Sabah with DAP and PKR assemblypersons, he asked.
Pandikar was not done with imitating those from the ruling coalition as he went on to describe Tsen as always being courteous in Parliament, back when he was the Dewan Rakyat speaker and she was the Batu Sapi MP.
This was very unlike the female lawmakers from DAP, who he claimed were always rowdy and interrupting debates in Parliament.
“The female leaders from DAP are always like, ‘Hey speaker, hey speaker, speaker speaker, speaker! Can I talk, speaker?’
“Not her (Tsen). She follows the rules,” he said.
Tsen is going up against DAP candidate Vivian Wong and three other independent candidates.
Voting for the Sandakan parliamentary seat will be held tomorrow, May 11. - Mkini
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