Reject PN, Zahid tells non-Malay voters over Gerakan snub

STATE POLLS | PAS’ rebuff of Gerakan president Dominic Lau in Penang last week should be a lesson for the non-Malays against supporting Perikatan Nasional, said BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Speaking at a ceramah in Gombak Setia last night, he told a group of Indian voters that Gerakan - which is a multiracial party - was no more than just a tool for Bersatu and PAS to achieve their political aims.

"Do you remember what happened to 'Gelakan' recently? I call it Gelakan because it used to be Gerakan when still with BN, but now they have become a laughing stock after joining PN.

"See what happened to its party president Lau... He was barred from joining a PN campaign (ceramah) even though he is the president of a component party.

"Gerakan is just being used for their (PN) political advantages," he said at the event in Ladang Kamseng at Batu 8 Jalan Gombak.

Zahid, who is a deputy prime minister and Umno president, was there to campaign for BN candidate, Megat Zulkarnain Omardin.

Gerakan president Dominic Lau

He was referring to an incident on Aug 1, which saw Lau snubbed by Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim when he wanted to join other PN leaders on stage during a ceramah in Tasek Gelugor.

Zahid told the audience that such an incident would not happen with BN as the coalition never sidelines any of its component parties including MIC, MCA and others considered as Friends of BN.

‘Grateful to MIC’

Meanwhile, in his speech, Zahid also thanked MIC deputy president M Saravanan for the party's sacrifices in the state polls.

He said MIC had agreed to sit out from the six state elections and even surrendered its Jeram Padang seat in Negeri Sembilan for Umno to contest.

"And since they have given up their seat to us (Umno), it would not be right for us not to give them enough seats to MIC in future elections," he said. - Mkini