BALAKONG POLLS | The move by MCA to contest under its own party logo in the Balakong by-election is to divide the people, says DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Lim said the party only represents one race, while the Pakatan Harapan represents all races.

"We contest under Harapan representing all Malaysians regardless of race and religion, and we are the symbol of Malaysia.

“Unlike the opposing party, which is only representing one ethnic group after leaving the BN coalition to stand on its own, Harapan aims to unite Malaysians," he said when met by reporters at the Balakong nomination centre at the Dewan Utama Demesne here today.

Last week, MCA president Liow Tiong Lai said that while the party remained committed to BN, the coalition currently existed "in name only."

At the nomination for the Balakong state by-election today, returning officer Rosli Othman announced a straight fight between Harapan candidate Wong Siew Ki, 32 and MCA candidate Tan Chee Teong, 40.

The by-election was called following the death of its incumbent Eddie Ng in a road accident last July 20.

Lim, the finance minister, said the people had a clear choice of who they should vote to represent them in the state constituency.

"We hope the people will continue to give their support so that we can work towards implementing the policies and with the trust given we will be able to fulfil all our commitments,” he said.

On the Harapan candidate, Lim said Wong (photo) who had been working under the late Ng for several years was a young leader who rose from the grassroots level.

He said several people when met by party leaders here said that they missed Ng who had given them his best services. As such he hoped voters would make the Harapan candidate their choice in continuing Ng's legacy.

Meanwhile, MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong, when met at the nomination centre, said the party machinery had to work doubly hard in view of the long campaign period.

Asked on support from Malay voters who account for about 30 percent of the total electorate, Wee hoped the voters could make an assessment of Harapan’s performance following the 14th general election.

On the absence of other BN component party leaders to give their support at the nomination, he said that was just a formality and what mattered was the ballot box.

In GE14, Ng from DAP defeated two challengers, BN’s Lim Chin Wah and PAS’ Mohamad Ibrahim Ghazali by a majority of 35,538 votes.

- Bernama