DAP’s ‘offensive’ campaign poster taken down by EC

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KUCHING: The Election Commission (EC) has taken down a Democratic Action Party (DAP) election campaign poster, which was considered offensive to the Barisan Nasional (BN) and its leaders.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is also Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chief, said their election campaign poster was put up within one hour after being made by their party workers, but was later taken down by EC enforcement officers.

The poster shows the faces of BN Stampin candidate from Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Sri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

“The EC demanded that the poster be immediately taken down, and of course, DAP objected,” Chong told reporters during a press conference at the DAP headquarters here yesterday.

“We were told that the instruction to take down the poster came from state EC director Datu Takun Sanggah. Dr Sim and Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youths and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah also demanded that the poster be taken down immediately.

“The reason given was that the poster was very offensive – my question: Which part of the poster is offensive? Is it Rosmah, the prime minister, or Dr Sim?

“Or is it in the wordings on the poster: ‘Undi Sim Kui Hian=Undi Najib and Rosmah’ (Vote for Dr Sim equals to vote for Najib and Rosmah)?

“Whatever it is, what we project is the truth and a fact – a vote for Dr Sim is a vote for Umno, and a vote for Najib, and because of Rosmah’s position and her influence over Najib, then it is a vote for Najib as well.

“My question to SUPP is why they are so fearful of being associated with Najib and Rosmah. Najib is the head of BN, of which SUPP is a component party. You are part of it (BN) and your chairman is Najib,” he argued.

Chong, who is the DAP candidate for Stampin, said SUPP did not have to lie to the people of Sarawak about having nothing to do with Najib.

“In this election, SUPP is saying they have nothing to do with Najib – everybody knows that Najib is the head of BN and SUPP is one of them.

“I thus urge and call upon SUPP politicians to be open and sincere to the people of Kuching and Sarawak.

“You are Najib’s subordinate, you are Najib’s puppet – do not hide the fact. Everybody knows all about it and there is no point to hide.”

Chong thus said DAP objected to EC’s ‘unreasonable and unfair action’ in taking down their poster.