Permatang Pauh : Offensive Banner, BN Denies

Source : Malaysiakini

Controversial banners and ‘fake’ leaflets aimed at discrediting PKR candidate Anwar Ibrahim have surfaced in and around Permatang Pauh, as campaigning for the by-election heads into the final lap, with balloting slated for Tuesday Aug 26.

MCPX

Malaysiakini found some of these ‘fake’ leaflets, allegedly originated by groups within PAS and PKR itself, and containing offensive remarks about Anwar in the election campaign offices of archrivals Umno and Barisan Nasional..

One such leaflet, claimed to have come from Permatang Pauh PAS Youth division, carried the headline ‘An insult to Islamic state to be led by a sodomite’ and called on the voters to reject Anwar.

Another leaflet, allegedly from PKR Selangor bearing the party’s logo, attempted to confuse voters with reverse pyschology, asking them to support PKR for advocating ‘rakyat supremacy’.

“The Malay supremacy made Malays live with the crutches. We must get rid of the Malay crutch so that the Malays will be stronger and bolder. The PKR and DAP will lead the Malays to a better future,” the leaflet stated.

It is believed the leaflet was meant to antagonise Malay voters away from the Anwar camp.

Although the name of the printer or publisher were conspicously absent as required under election laws, the leaflets were placed openly on tables in the Umno election campaign offices. Stacks of similar ‘fake’ leaflets can be seen in the offices as well.

Numerous banners too have been put up overnight that sought to snipe at Anwar ‘s bid to be prime minister and over his recent promise to reduce fuel prices the very next day after he succeeds in forming a new government.

Banner: US to be allowed to set up airbase

These banners, spotted in Seberang Jaya, include one which said ‘Today Anwar becomes premier, Tomorrow Israel opens embassy in Kuala Lumpur, The day after the Americans open airbase in Butterworth.” (photo below)

These allegations coincide with Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s claim at a ceramah last night that he was privy to Anwar’s alleged discussion with the United States to open an airbase in Malaysia once the PKR leader succeeds in seizing power.

Another banner was about the bumiputera-based Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). PKR’s Selangor menteri besar Khalid Ibrahim stirred up a hornet’s nest when he recently suggested the university to open up 10 percent of its seats to other races.

On the banner were the Malay wordings ‘Today rule Selangor 10 percent UiTM places for non-bumiputeras, Tomorrow rule Malaysia 90 percent UiTm places for non-bumiputeras’.

Anwar was not their sole target. His colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat were also not spared.

A banner spotted in the Malay-majority Permatang Pasir showed DAP secretary-general and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s face accompanied with the words ‘Penang gua punya’ (Penang is mine). (photo)

Another banner which carried PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s face said ‘Hadi is more qualified to be Pakatan’s prime minister’, an obvious reference to his non-committal answer when recently asked if he would support Anwar’s bid to be prime minister. (photo)

All the banners did not carry a party logo and the name of the printer. This breaches election laws and the Elections Commission can actually take action to have them removed.

Tension too ran high when a group of campaign workers, suspected of being from the BN camp, tried to hang some of the banners during the wee hours of the morning. They clashed with PKR workers who tried to stop them. However, 40 police officers arrived in time to stop the brawl.

Umno: It wasn’t us!

In another incident, two female election workers - who were wearing BN tags - were seen distributing a set of controversial leaflets during a function attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Seberang Jaya this afternoon.

The leaflets carried a ‘frontpage’ portraying DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh clad in a traditional baju Melayu alongside Anwar, Hadi, Guan Eng, Anwar’s wife Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Karpal’s son Gobind Singh Deo. (photo)

The picture showed Anwar apparently holding the Quran, an obvious reference to his refusal to bow to his detractors’ demand that he swear on the holy book to prove he did not sodomised his ex-aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

It carried the caption ‘Anwar said Saiful’s swearing is not Islamic, is this swearing Islamic?’

BN candidate Arif Shah Omar Shah who was present at this afternoon’s function said he would look into the matter. However, Penang Umno deputy chief Abdul Rashid Abdullah denied his party was behind the leaflets and banners, adding that someone else could have done it in the name of Umno.