Kedah's 4D kerfuffle enters Malacca banner war

 

MALACCA POLLS | Kedah's decision to stop renewing licences for number betting shops crept into the ongoing Malacca election banner war.

Numerous banners in Chinese have sprouted in Malacca town beside electioneering banners, prominently featuring the logos of three betting companies.

Two of the logos were incorporated into the message to represent Chinese words that are phonetically similar.

The horse logo was combined with another word to form "horse ticket" (betting slip) while the "Toto" logo is phonetically similar to the Chinese word for "many".

The message, decrypted for clarity, reads as follows: "For the sake of 4D, (you) must all vote".

 Unlike regular electioneering banners, this banner on the number betting controversy does not carry the name of the printer or owner, as required by law.

The colours and motif do not signal a relationship to any of the three main coalitions participating in the election.

Kedah's decision to stop renewing business licences for number-betting outlets was made mid-way through the Malacca campaign. However, it has not featured prominently in election messaging.

However, a straw poll of voters on the topic has shown negative sentiments toward Kedah's policy and Perikatan Nasional, because Kedah is ruled by PN component party PAS.

 A voter in Kampung Machap Baru, who wishes to be known only as Ah Boon, told Malaysiakini people who frequent his shop discuss the policy and have apprehensions about PAS.

"People don't like (the policy). They don't want PN because of PAS," he said.

Another voter, who wished to be known only as Tai, found PAS' messaging to be very repulsive.

"They keep saying 'no alcohol'. No '4D shop'. It's really extreme," he said.

A voter, who wishes to be known only as Nizam from Durian Tunggal, said he too did not like the policy because he believed that there were underlying political intentions.

"I am a Muslim. But I'm sorry (to say) that they (PAS) are using religion. They are worse than Umno. We are a multi-cultural society. How can they say: 'ban this, ban that'.

"It's extreme," he said. - Mkini