Penang MCA Wanita chief Tan Cheng Liang has questioned the DAP’s silence on vandalism at Gerakan’s Pulau Tikus service centre, also telling the rival party to stop portraying itself as a victim of such incidents.

While the DAP was quick to condemn recent attacks on its property , she said, it has not seen fit to express disapproval of yesterday’s incident during which the Gerakan service centre was pelted with eggs and coffee.

NONE “All political parties, (especially those in Pakatan Rakyat), should speak out against such acts (or) the perpetrators may misconstrue this as silent approval, which will then give rise to more horrible acts, similar only to the brutal tactics of loan sharks or Ah long,” she said in a statement.

The DAP was also silent about “vulgar” actions of its members in the past, “like holding mock funeral rites for me during (election) campaigning in 2008 or hurling gender stereotypes at me at a public forum a few months ago”.

“Thus it is of no surprise that Pakatan has been indirectly linked to political physical attacks on office structures. At the same time, ... (they play up) up their (own) misfortunes.”

Over the last two weeks, PKR’s Jelajah Merdeka campaign bus was splashed with red paint in several locations.

Last week, the Penang BN’s war truck was similarly smeared with red paint while parked outside the state Gerakan headquarters in Jalan Macalister.

‘No’ to political vandalism

State Gerakan legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh warned that such incidents, if not averted, will push people to the edge of reason. At this point, it would only take a little spark to trigger a full-blown crisis.

NONE He said a violent political culture has become rampant due to racial politics, which has created deep divisions among the people.

"When we say ‘stop the racial politics’, no one listens. When we say ‘stop this violent political culture’, no one listens," he lamented.

Baljit said the political situation has worsened to the extent that people have become partisan and distrustful.

"When you criticise an issue, they ask ‘are you working for BN or Pakatan?’ It's either (a situation of) ‘you are with me or with them’.

"This is not healthy. The truth is the truth.  Right is right and wrong is wrong, whichever side you are on.”

Baljit urged various groups to stop indulging in antics that cause anger, saying “their actions help no one”.

He was referring to NGOs like Malay rights pressure group Perkasa and others, which have been organising rallies around Penang.

These have targeted Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, by torching an effigy of him and conducting a mock funeral in front of his private residence.