PD POLLS | DAY 12 | Campaigning by the seven candidates running in the Port Dickson by-election continues today.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the campaigning on the ground.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- 'We are all family' - Anwar says in Mandarin
- Zaid Ibrahim shows up at Anwar's ceramah
- NGOs express support for Anwar
- Grand total of five people turn up for independent candidate's ceramah
- Voter bribery claim - no action for now on police report against Anwar
- N Sembilan Gerakan throws support behind Anwar
- Agong's joke becomes campaign material for Isa
- Saiful asks if Anwar agrees with decision on MMC-Gamuda
- Nothing wrong in Rafidah's criticism of Harapan leadership: Anwar
- Umno urges Malay voters in PD to fulfil duty as M'sians
12am: Thank you for following our live updates of day 12 of the Port Dickson by-election campaign. This thread is now closed.
'We are all family' - Anwar says in Mandarin
9.30pm: Lukut - Anwar Ibrahim impresses the crowd by speaking simple Mandarin.
He assures the crowd that the new government will take care of the benefits of the people regardless of races or religion. Then, in Mandarin he says "We are all family".
Speaking about corruption in the previous government, he used the word "xiao ren" (nasty people) to describe an individual who stole the money from the people.
He tells the crowd of about 400 mainly Chinese locals that he is touched by how people of all races have welcomed him.
"When I went to the Indian area, I danced. I don't know how many votes I can get, but I found that I am so happy and I like this place so much after I have been here for one week.
"I believe that I have made a right choice to be here and Danyal is my great alliance".
Zaid Ibrahim shows up at Anwar's ceramah
9.15pm: Harapan's operations room, Lukut - Former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who had previously been critical of Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Anwar Ibrahim, is spotted at the ceramah here.
He tells Malaysiakini that he is here to support Anwar, though he may have disagreed with the prime minister-in-waiting previously.
“I disagreed with certain things, that’s normal. I mean I disagreed with a lot of people.
“I have a lot of disagreements with (Prime Minister) Dr Mahathir Mohamad too. It doesn’t stop me from helping him,” he said.
It is more important, he said, for Pakatan Harapan to present a united front right now, be it through fulfilling their succession plan or their policies and actions as the new government.
Otherwise, he said, Umno-BN and even PAS is waiting in the wings for their chance to exploit Harapan’s weaknesses so that they can come into power.
NGOs express support for Anwar
7.45pm: Port Dickson Golf and Country Club - A group of six local NGOs supporting Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Anwar Ibrahim are urging voters, including those from outstation, to perform their duty as citizens on polling day this Saturday.
The NGOs are Teluk Kemang Indian Community Club, Taman PD Utama Youth Club, Dino Persatuan Jetski Negeri Sembilan PD, Rizal Kelab Belia Taman Poli, Faisul Kelab Belia Kemang Jaya dan NSR 95 Veteran FC.
“The reason why we are gathered here today is to ask the people of Port Dickson to come out to vote.
“As Malaysian citizens, it is our duty to vote,” says the groups' representative K Rajashekaran at a press conference here.
He says now is the best time for the people of Port Dickson to show their support for Anwar, as they believe he can help develop Port Dickson.
“Anwar was the deputy prime minister before and he can bring a lot of experience to the table.
“He can bring investors and help better the economy here,” said Rajashekaran, who is from the NSR 95 Veteran FC.
Grand total of five people turn up for independent candidate's ceramah
4.15pm: Glory Beach Resort - Independent candidate for Port Dickson Myocho Kan's ceramah saw a lacklustre turnout with only five people attending his English ceramah themed "The economic future of PD".
The poor turnout forces the ceramah, held in the auditorium at the Glory Beach Resort, to be turned into a "one-to-one" counselling session on how to manage businesses more effectively.
Myocho told Malaysiakini that the 4pm English session of his ceramah attracted the most people (five) while the 2pm Bahasa Malaysia session and the 3pm Mandarin session attracted an even smaller number.
"I think the poor turnout is due to the heavy rain and also because ceramah is held during working hours," he pointed out.
N Sembilan Gerakan throws support behind Anwar
3pm: Port Dickson - Negeri Sembilan Gerakan declares support for Pakatan Harapan candidate for Port Dickson Anwar Ibrahim, reports China Press.
Anwar reportedly met a group of 120 members and leaders led by Gerakan state chief David Choong (above) on Oct 8.
The daily reports that both parties agree to cooperate in the by-election with 2,072 Gerakan members in Port Dickson voting for Anwar.
Choong is quoted as saying that the meeting is arranged after requests made by grassroots who wanted to see development in Port Dickson.
"The party members want to vote and do not want to spoil their votes so they sought my help for a direction so they do not become headless chickens," he says.
He says he will take full responsibility for any action that would be taken by the Gerakan leadership.
While noting this is the first step in cooperation between both the parties, he does not rule out any form of cooperation in the future.
Voter bribery claim - no action for now on police report against Anwar
3pm: Port Dickson district police headquarters - Port Dickson district police chief Aidi Sham Mohamed says they have no plans to call in any candidates for questioning over independent candidate Stevie Chan’s police report.
“We do not want to disturb any of the candidates. Their schedules are too packed,” Aidi tells a press conference today.
He said the cops are still probing the matter and will only decide on their next course of action at a later date. He did not specify when.
Chan had lodged a police report against Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Anwar Ibrahim for alleged voter bribery through the promises of big projects and the launching of a free e-tuition programme.
Agong's joke becomes campaign material for Isa
2.30pm: Bukit Pelanduk - A joke made by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V is now the part of campaign material for the Port Dickson by-election.
Independent candidate Mohd Isa Samad, who quit Umno to run for the by-election, puts up banners with a picture of a chair and the words, "Sila duduk dan jangan lari" (Please sit down and don't run) at strategic locations.
The purple banners are seen at the Bukit Pelanduk new village three days before polling.
On July 17, the ruler said, "Please sit down and don't run" to tease Umno MPs who staged a walkout protest from Parliament to protest the process of the appointment of the Dewan Rakyat speaker.
Meanwhile, cars with a purple chair on top are also seen moving around Port Dickson.
Saiful asks if Anwar agrees with decision on MMC-Gamuda
1pm: Port Dickson - Independent candidate Saiful Bukhari Azlan questions if Anwar Ibrahim agrees with the termination of MMC-Gamuda as the contractor for the underground portion of the MRT2 project.
"It is ironic that RM3.6 million in public funds (to run a by-election) is used for the desire of an individual who is crazy to become a premier when 20,000 people stand to lose their jobs.
"When the New Malaysia leaders are busy politicking, people are going hungry without any sense of sympathy," he says in a statement today.
"It is said that the cancellation of the contract can save public funds but what is the fate of the 20,000 workers?" he asks.
"The people chose Pakatan Harapan for a better life and prosperity. Don't be playful with the mandate of the people as they are more powerful in the New Malaysia era," he adds.
Nothing wrong in Rafidah's criticism of Harapan leadership: Anwar
11.04pm: Port Dickson Army Camp - Anwar Ibrahim today said he did not see anything wrong in the criticism hurled by former Wanita Umno chief Rafidah Aziz at the Pakatan Harapan leadership.
Bernama reports the PKR president-elect said he respected her opinion and added that she has wide experience and often gave good advice.
"She (Rafidah) is a person who gives good advice. She has the experience to review these kinds of things so it is not wrong for her to comment," the Harapan candidate for the Port Dickson parliamentary by-election told reporters during a walkabout at a sale at Pernama at the Port Dickson Army Camp.
Also present was former Umno supreme council member Syed Hamid Albar who made his maiden public appearance as a member of Bersatu to help campaign for Anwar.
Rafidah yesterday warned the Harapan government that it could lose power if it puts off making important decisions due to it being shackled by its election manifesto promises.
Syed Hamid said he agreed with Rafidah that the Harapan government was overly dependent on the party’s election manifesto.
“What Rafidah said is true. Any political party will attempt to fulfill its manifesto but it has to consider the financial affordability.
“What is important is that the people want freedom, it is now an open society and the elected representatives must be people-friendly,” he said.
Umno urges Malay voters in PD to fulfil duty as M'sians
9.00am: Port Dickson - Port Dickson Umno chief Mohd Faizal Ramli urges Malay voters, particularly the 13,000 party members, to come out and vote this Saturday.
"As what we said previously, BN/Umno will not prohibit any voters who are registered in Port Dickson from voting.
"And they can choose and vote for any candidate they like," he says in a statement today.
"I urge and appeal to all Malays, especially Umno members, to fulfil their duty as Malaysians," he says.
Faizal adds that their votes are important.
"I am confident that we will make the right choice for the sake of the country."
Asked if the Umno members will vote any candidate except Pakatan Harapan candidate Anwar Ibrahim, he says they know who they will vote.
