YOURSAY | ‘This is more effective advertising than the original poster would’ve been.’

Dr M gone in 60 seconds – officers cut out his image from billboard

Appum: Good for you, Election Commission (EC). You have managed to help Pakatan Harapan even more at the 14th general election.

The simple understanding that Umno-BN is behind all these actions – but who else can it be? – reinforces the perception that they are truly frightened and desperate enough to use underhand tactics to unfairly overcome the opposition.

No one likes to see injustice done on others. So the perception that BN will lose this time gathers more mileage through the acts of the EC, though EC may think it is trying to do the caretaker government a favour.

EC chairperson Mohd Hashim Abdullah has certainly decided which horse he is backing a long time ago - though he perhaps didn’t have much of a choice – but creating the perception of bias to deny the opposition an even contest through strange decisions is not going to help.

With each passing day, more anger is being generated, and even fence-sitters will note how the opposition is being mistreated. Most decent people are naturally sympathetic towards underdogs.

Even if BN wants to play dirty, play it in a more sophisticated manner. Your aggressive attitude goes against the Malaysian culture of respect, kindness, generosity and fair play, and is self-defeating in the final count.

Monkey See Monkey Do: Indeed, this is more effective advertising for Harapan than the original poster would have been.

Each time people pass the banner, they will notice the hole, and their brains will not be able to resist trying to picture what was there before. This poster now works at a subconscious level.

I would even go so far as to suggest Harapan start making billboard posters with holes in them. This is seriously revolutionary advertising.

Anonymous_4056: This cutting out of the face of Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not only rude but ungentlemanly. It makes voters everywhere angry, as it is a potent symbol of a rotten regime. 

Anonymous_5e147de6: Good, good, let the hatred spread. Even fence-sitters or those wishing to spoil their votes will see the blatant crookedness of BN.

Ah-hah: I wonder, what would happen if Harapan supporters came up with scores upon scores of T-shirts bearing the image of Mahathir – essentially a copy of one of the various campaign posters now being literally defaced – and wore them everywhere?

Can the EC demand that people remove their clothes?

Oxymoronic Tendencies: They can ban faces, but can they ban words too? If not, they can just paste a sheet bearing the words “Mahathir was here” and “Removed by EC” over the hole.

Bogus Warrior: The funny thing is, even if BN wins the election fair and square – which they won’t obviously – the people will still have the perception that they cheated because of stupid actions like this stunt from the EC.

Anonymous 2460851488616887: BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak has backed out of so many debates with Mahathir, but he is willing to play dirty in the background using his lackeys.

They have already lost the respect of most Malaysians and are losing adherents with each passing day.

6th Generation Immigrant: Let them continue implementing this ludicrous last-minute ruling. For as long as anyone can remember, Malaysians truly despise unfairness.

To Malaysians who make sacrifices for the sake of harmony, these silly acts will no doubt anger them to the core.

Mosquitobrain: A very childish and stupid action by EC. Why is EC so scared of Mahathir’s image on the billboard.

To be fair, EC can start tearing down billboards of MCA's Liow Tiong Lai with China president Xi Jinping too.

Anonymous_ef8396d2: Since the EC is working at such lightning speed removing pictures of political figures who shouldn’t be on posters, can they please remove the many billboards of BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor polluting my ‘taman’?

If you are too busy, just give us permission to do it on your behalf.

Ravinder: How is it that Najib's pictures on huge billboards adorn every few kilometres of the highways up and down the country? He is contesting only in one constituency, not all over the country.

If Najib's photos are allowed all over the country, then Harapan’s prime minister-designate Mahathir's photos must be allowed as well. Both are not prime ministers at this moment, but both are vying for the post.

The EC is an agency in the PM's Department that answers to the PM. The caretaker PM is president of Umno. Therefore, Umno is conducting the election, not the so-called "independent" EC.

The "independent" EC is just a smokescreen, a camouflage.

FlabberPro: Doesn't the EC understand? That the more they try to suppress Harapan, the more the rakyat will rise against them?

The EC is sly and I cannot imagine what will happen on election day itself. They must have many, many more tricks up their sleeves. Well, we have just over a week to find out.

Duniaputra: "Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat " or “those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad” comes to mind.

Anonymous 428911434555133: Enforcement officers who cut out Mahathir’s image from the poster.

Know that your next generation is probably going to end up as enforcement officers climbing up and down billboards rather than doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, etc, if public money is leaked rather than spent on building world-class schools, universities, etc.

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