DAP today expressed its full support for member of Parliament for Tanjung, Chow Kon Yeow who received a death threat following his pressure o­n the local authorities to act o­n two popular prostitution spots in Penang.

Party secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai must view the case with utmost urgency and direct a thorough investigation into the death threat.

"Though there have been previous occasions where elected representatives received threats for taking up issues which affected public interests, death threat with bullets sent to an MP is the first in the country," he said in a statement.

Yesterday, Chow said he received a letter written in Chinese which read "Don't be a busy body" and two .38 calibre bullets in an envelope addressed to the state party headquarters.

He claimed that the threat was linked to his action in highlighting prostitution activities in Lorong Irving and Lorong Perlis, which had resulted in several police raids in the areas recently.

Chow had lodged a police report yesterday regarding the threat.

Kerk said it was unacceptable for any individual or group whose interest was affected to resort to threat against an elected representative.

He added DAP's elected representatives will "not be deterred by such threats".

"The party also declares its total support for Chow who has vowed to continue discharging his duty as an elected representative without fear or favour," he said.

Party national chairperson Lim Kit Siang said the death threat must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

"It is also a powerful reminder that triad politics should not be allowed to take root in Malaysia," he said in separate statement.

He called o­n the individual or group which sent the threat to Chow to "relent and repent".

"There can be no tolerance in our society for anti-social conduct which takes the law into o­ne's own hands or uses violent means to frustrate an elected representative from performing his duties," he said.

He said MCA Youth chief O­ng Tee Keat's claim that triad politics has crept into the party and his evidence submitted to Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi deserved further explanation and investigation.

The DAP chief criticised Abdullah for not referring the matter to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and police to clean Malaysian politics of triad elements.

"Instead, he directed MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik to resolve the party crisis immediately, a directive now used by the two factions to justify their position to cover-up triad politics," he said.

He said in view of the seriousness of infiltration of triad politics, Abdullah should make a ministerial statement in parliament regarding the matter and explain whether he would ask the relevant authorities to act o­n evidence prepared by O­ng.