From accusations of Islamic militancy to mass corruption, the sizzling campaign for the Ketari by-election in Pahang has now fizzled out to a more delectable issue  satay or more aptly, missing satay?

The latest controversy erupted when a Barisan Nasional leader discovered the local delicacy missing during a meet-the-people session at a community hall located in the DAP stronghold of Kampung Perting in Ketari two days ago.

The puzzled leader, Liow Tiong Lai, then enquired about the missing satay and was told that DAP supporters had gate-crashed the function and looted the savoury dish.

Liow, who is the member of Parliament for Bentong, was reported as saying that everything would have been under control if DAP did not organise an illegal gathering outside the hall.

However, DAP today denied that its supporters would resort to such an unruly and comical act.

It may well be that Liow himself is ill-adept at organising feasts and did not prepare enough satay for the guests, said party publicity secretary Ronnie Liu in a statement.

According to Liu, in order to avoid embarrassment, the BN leader had to cook up a story against DAP.

Liow must apologise for his unsubstantiated remark and check his facts before throwing accusations at DAP supporters, he added.

The DAP leader also criticised BN for trying to capture the voters hearts through their stomachs by serving food at its gatherings. This, he said, was a violation of the elections regulations.

On the claim that DAPs gathering was illegal, Liu said all their party gatherings have been granted permits by the authorities.

Character assassination

Meanwhile, DAP national chairperson Lim Kit Siang today claimed there was an attempt by Gerakan to character-assassinate him in Ketari.

The veteran politician said Gerakan was displaying campaign posters which depict him shaking hands with PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat.

[Gerakan president Lim] Keng Yaik believes that Chinese voters are still gullible to their false propaganda that when DAP cooperates with PAS leaders, we must be selling out the interests of Malaysian Chinese and non-Malays, he said in a statement.

Lim called on voters in Ketari to show their outrage at Keng Yaiks resort to last minute dirty tactics by voting solidly against the Gerakan candidate on Sunday.

The Ketari state seat fell vacant after its representative Loke Koon Kam from Gerakan passed away early this month.

This Sundays by-election will witness a straight-fight between BNs Yum Ah Ha and DAPs Choong Siew Onn.

The constituency has some 17,400 voters, half of whom are Chinese who mostly work as farmers.