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Day 3 - Mt Kinabalu better than 100-storey tower
Published:  Oct 28, 2010 10:44 AM
Updated: 3:42 PM

FREE BY-ELECTIONS What's happening in the by-election campaigns in the parliamentary constituency of Batu Sapi and the Galas state seat? Quotable quotes, planned events and unplanned incidences as they occur in P185 and N45.

 


9am (Galas): A convoy of 4X4 vehicles, led by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, travels to Hau in Gua Musang.

There are about 250 Orang Asli voters in the area.

NONE 10.15am (Batu Sapi): PKR election director Fuziah Salleh says she feels sorry for Linda Tsen because she is being exploited by her party to contest despite her bereavement.

"She is still mourning. This is not fair to her," said Fuziah.

"If people really sympathise with her, (they) should not vote for her, because by doing so they are placing greater responsibilities on her than she should be handling (at this juncture)."

She was speaking at the party daily press conference in operation center with candidate Ansari Abdullah, communication director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Pantai Jerejak assemblyperson Sim Tze Tsin.

At the event Sim questions the BN candidate's command of Malay arguing that an MP must be fluent in the language used in parliament.

PKR sends a letter inviting both opposing candidates for a public debate on Sunday Oct 31 at Sanbay Hotel.

NONE 10.30am (Galas): PAS candidate Dr Zulkefli Mohamed (centre in photo) challenges BN's Abdul Aziz Yusof to a tug-of-war.

"I can still challenge him in a foot race, or in a tug-of-war match," he says in jest at a press conference today, responding to his jeers from the BN camp that he is not fit to run.

Meanwhile, PAS election director for Galas Abdul Fatah Harun says that they are reserving the big guns and bigger issues for later, as “BN's attacks against us has so far proven to be ineffective."

11.30am (Galas): MCA president Chua Soi Lek meets the Chinese residents of Bandar Lama Gua Musang accompanied by MCA state chief Ng Yen Yen.

NONE 12.25pm (Batu Sapi): SAPP president and Batu Sapi candidate Yong Teck Lee swats aside PKR candidate Ansari Abdullah's challenge to a debate.

"Who is he speaking for? He is just a ketua cabang (division chief of) Tuaran, he has no locus standi to challenge anyone on Batu Sapi or national issues.

"I think he wants to complain about the jetty la ... As a fellow candidate on the campaign trail, I'm sorry you had to fall down but if you see the bridge in bad condition, you pandai pandai la (be smart)."

1pm (Batu Sapi): PKR Batu Sapi division chief Hassnar Ibrahim lodges a police report at Sandakan police headquarters, alleging that BN campaign crew have been obstructing PKR women campaigners from distributing leaflets.

NONE 3.30pm (Galas): Chua Soi Lek ( right in photo ) goes handshaking with the Chinese in Kampung Baru Gua Musang and canvasses for votes BN.

However, as soon as he leaves, some residents complain to reporters that the BN during their past two-term rule of Kelantan had taken away much of their estate land.

When asked why they didn’t complain to Chua when he was there, one sarcastically replied, “I shivered in front of the VIP.”

6pm (Batu Sapi): PKR candidate Ansari Abdullah will attend maghrib prayers at Surau Kg Istimewa before plans to join isyak prayers in Lupak Meluas.

9.00pm (Batu Sapi): Two hundred people pack a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah in a small kindergarden hall at the Chinese majority suburb of Taman Mawar, Sandakan.

PKR strategist Tian Chua appealed to the crowd to ponder upon the BN and federal government spendthrift ways.

"BN is taking Sabah’s oil money to build a 100 storey mega tower... Why do Sabahans need a mega tower? You can always go to Mount Kinabalu, it is 100-storey higher than the tower."

He called on voters not to waste their votes on opposition that are not sure of their direction, but instead support Pakatan which is setting sights on Putrajaya.

Others Pakatan leaders present are DAP youth chief Anthony Loke, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Dap Sabah Chief Hiew King Chieu.

9.00pm (Galas): MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and bitter rival DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng are speaking at adjacent venues in Pulai.

Lim later told reporters that Chua should be reprimanded for again trying to stir up Chinese sentiments by portraying PAS as extremist out to set up an Islamic state.

"Compare to Umno, who is more extremist? Who supports Perkasa? Who says that they can’t take action against those racist principals? While all these happened, PAS stood firm and demanded action, such as punishment for racism and extremism."

10.00pm (Batu Sapi): The boisterous Pakatan Rakyat ceramah at Taman Mawar, Sandakan can to a grinding halt after the police stopped proceedings mid-way, citing a lack of permit.

Organisers tried to negotiate with the police, explaining to them that the ceramah was held on private property to no avail.

10.30pm (Galas): It has been raining non-stop since 6pm, but a Pakatan Rakyat ceramah in Kampung Baru Gua Musang continues to draw people.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim urged listeners to vote for PAS in order to send a firm message that the populace rejected corruption and racism.

"'Umno is not ' malai ren ' (Malay), but ' malai atas ren ' (upper class Malay). And ' malai bawah ren ' (lower class Malay) is the Malay folks in Galas

"Umno ren (Umno people) only protect themselves... I hope the Chinese here can vote for PAS,” he said.

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