KOTA KINABALU: PBS deputy president Yee Moh Chai is perplexed by the removal of the party’s billboard by the Election Commission (EC) in Sandakan today.
He said this after meeting with the returning officer (RO) over the matter, adding the latter had acknowledged that there was no breach of election rules.
“The RO made it clear that there was no element of election offence from the EC’s point of view.
“So why was it brought down? Because they had been directed by the police to do so.
“We were rather surprised that the EC, which is an independent body, with its own powers and budget from Parliament, has come under a directive from the police.
“Our next task is to find out from the police why the billboard was taken down. We need to find out to be fair to our candidate,” Yee told reporters.
Earlier today, Sabah DAP publicity secretary Phoong Jin Zhe defended the removal of the billboard, saying it was the Sandakan Municipal Council (MPS) which took it down less than 24 hours after it was put up by PBS.
The billboard displayed a screenshot of a news broadcast which showed DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and DAP candidate for Sandakan Vivian Wong.
The caption quoted a line from the finance minister’s speech during a campaign programme where he said Sandakan people could look for him for help if DAP won the seat.
The speech was related to the parking issue at Sandakan hospital. Lim is reported to have promised to build a parking lot for hospital visitors to help solve the problem.
Yee said PBS was not denying it put up the billboard but found it “intriguing” that DAP had taken such a strong exception to it, to the extent of lodging a police report yesterday.
He said he was made to understand that the matter was being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace. - FMT
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