Gerakan decries unfair treatment after party flags taken down
Ahead of the Tanjung Piai by-election nomination, Gerakan president Dominic Lau Hoe Chai cried unfair treatment as the party’s flags were taken down by the local authorities.
According to Lau, the incident happened on Monday night after the party launched their by-election operation room in Pekan Nanas, Tanjung Piai.
The Pontian District Council had taken down about 10 Gerakan flags set up outside the operation room, Lau said during the launch Gerakan’s second operation room in Pontian this afternoon...
Ahead of the Tanjung Piai by-election nomination, Gerakan president Dominic Lau Hoe Chai cried unfair treatment as the party’s flags were taken down by the local authorities.
According to Lau, the incident happened on Monday night after the party launched their by-election operation room in Pekan Nanas, Tanjung Piai.
The Pontian District Council had taken down about 10 Gerakan flags set up outside the operation room, Lau said during the launch Gerakan’s second operation room in Pontian this afternoon.
However, the local authorities had returned the flags after their appeal, Lau said.
“We expected this to be a fair by-election. But a few days ago...our flags were taken down. This is what we call unfair.
“Why is it only Gerakan’s flags were taken down? Why not the flags of Pakatan Harapan or Barisan Nasional?
“We hope the Election Commission and the local authorities can be fair to every political party,” Lau urged.
When asked whether Gerakan had applied for a permit (for the flags), Lau said: “I think we got the permit”.
Meanwhile, Gerakan candidate Wendy Subramaniam said her two daughters were her biggest motivation to enter politics and contest the by-election.
“One day, my five-year-old daughter asked me ‘Mommy, does your voice matter?’”, Wendy said.
She said her daughter asked the question because Wendy was always busy with party duties every weekend and she did not spend much time with her children.
“She will ask every time ‘Mommy you Gerakan again ah?’”
“I had to explain to her why I was involved in all these things,” the Gerakan deputy secretary-general said.
She said that her daughter had reminded her about the importance of politics and made her determined to contest in the by-election.
“I used to feel that my daughters cannot stay in Malaysia after growing up as there are unfair policies and life will be hard.
“However, now I feel I can make some changes through participation in politics and I hope I can provide a better future for them,” Wendy said.
As a fresh face in the political arena, Wendy aims to shake everyone’s hand in Tanjung Piai as a way to introduce herself to the voters.
The by-election will be a test for the Harapan government to gauge the people’s support as the coalition had not fulfilled their general election manifesto, Wendy added.
“By voting for Gerakan, the people can let Harapan know that they cannot give false promises and blame the previous government any more. They should solve people’s problems.
“I hope I can get the mandate from the rakyat. Please give youth a chance, please give Malaysia a chance,” Wendy said.
The Tanjung Piai by-election is being held following the death of its incumbent, Dr Mohd Farid Mohd Farik, 42, of heart complications on Sept 21.
In the general election last year, Mohd Farid won the seat after polling 21,255 votes to defeat Wee (20,731 votes) and PAS candidate Nordin Othman (2,962 votes).
The EC has set Nov 2 as nomination day and Nov 16 as polling day for the parliamentary by-election.
