Sympathy - that is the key word Penang DAP seems to be counting on to draw support from the electorate on the island state.

Judging from the absence of DAP posters and banners and notably that of party supremo Lim Kit Siang, many Penangites believe that is the main strategy of the Penang DAP this time - going after sympathy.

Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yeow ( right ) did not deny that the party is indeed aiming for sympathy votes.

"People will think this is to fish for votes, let them think that way," he told malaysiakini.

Asked whether this strategy is going to draw more support, he replied: "I don't mind going on that strategy, it is a fact anyway."

Indeed, many opposition candidates are operating on a shoe-string budget with little or no financial help from their parties.

Hence, the absence of posters, banners and billboards is one way of telling the electorate that the candidate or the party is too poor and that expenses must be minimised.

At least the DAP candidate for the Air Itam state seat, Koay Teng Hai, seems to belong to that category and going along with the strategy as well.

People's money

He posed at a question ceremah in Penang on Sunday night, "Do you know why it is so hard to see DAP posters? We are not as rich as the BN to display so many posters and banners."

"Actually, the taxes we pay to the government and the high toll charges are all used to fund BN campaigns. So you know who is actually paying for their campaigns. That the DAP will not do," Koay alleged in his fluent Hokkien dialect at the ceremah.

As it is elsewhere throughout the country, BN banners, posters and other paraphernalia are displayed far and wide across Penang.

Huge billboards of top leaders like Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon were erected at strategic locations all over the island.

To the people of Penang, this 11 th general election is auspicious as a fellow Penangite Abdullah is leading the ruling coalition into it for the first time.

'Do-or-die'

DAP secretary general Kerk Kim Hock had previously described the current election as a 'do-or-die battle' for the party.

He said the party which suffered heavy losses in the past two general elections could not afford another disastrous outing. DAP almost took power in Penang after the 1990 polls.

Another problem faced by the opposition party is the lack of suitable venues to campaign.

"We used to rent the Penang Chinese Town Hall and the Moral Uplifting Society Hall for our party's events. But they are saying now that they cannot rent out to political parties, " said Chow.

The DAP ceramah last night was held at a Chinese restaurant which could only hold about 250 people whereas the two halls can easily take in a crowd of 1,500.

The party has fielded a number of young and new faces in Penang, another strategy of the DAP. Out of the 24 candidates,13 are new faces while nine of them are below 40.

The youngest is 23-year-old Teh Lai Hing, who is vying for the Komtar state seat.

"We have to project a new image, there are too many accusations against us now including one saying that our party's representatives are 'sleeping beauties.'

"We have done a lot to counter this negative image against the party. We feel that the mood has to be changed and we are doing that now," said Chow, who is also the incumbent Tanjong MP.