HOPE FOR ALL: Chong (right) with DAP candidate for Stampin, Julian Tan, showing the Pakatan manifesto at the news conference. — Photo by Jessica Jawing
KUCHING: DAP candidate for Bandar Kuching, Chong Chieng Jen, has alleged that gambling syndicates are burning the midnight oil to sway voters to the BN camp.
He told a press conference here yesterday that the DAP had received information that certain consortiums were throwing money at bookies with the hope of enticing people to gamble on the election results.
Chong, who is state DAP secretary and a practising lawyer, claimed that betting activities had started in Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sibu and Lanang.
“The odds offered are for the consortiums to lose money, but to win votes. These firms do not mind losing RM20 million or RM30 million as these amounts are nothing to them.
“Their aim is to help BN win, and in the next five years they (consortiums) can get their money back by 10 folds.”
Chong appealed to voters not to gamble the nation’s future away by falling into the traps set by gambling syndicates.
On another issue, Chong demanded an apology from Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan for allegedly hurling baseless accusation against Pakatan Rakyat.
“Awang Tengah, I quote from The Borneo Post, said ‘If Pakatan Raykat becomes the government, their policy would be to introduce the ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ concept, which abolishes the right to NCR ownership’.
“This is a baseless accusation and such an allegation is seditious. Awang Tengah should apologise and withdraw his statement.”
Chong said thus far there had been about 200 court cases against the government regarding NCR land disputes, and these cases came about because of negative actions taken by the BN government.
He added that under ‘The Fraternity of The People’ section in Pakatan’s manifesto, the opposition pact had specifically pledged to ‘Preserve natives’ customary land rights and welfare’.
“I urge BN to stop playing racial politics and picking one race against another race or against Pakatan Rakyat.”
On Thursday, Awang Tengah assured that issues on compensation for acquired land and issuance of NCR titles affecting villagers of Kampung Rayang in Serian would be solved soon.
He said the true defenders of NCR land was Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who fought against the abolishment of NCR land status in 1965.
“Right now they (opposition) are merely fanning NCR issues for political mileage,” he said.