GE13: Group of DAP supporters in Sekinchan switches camps

The Star

By BK SIDHU and LOH FOON FONG

SEKINCHAN: Some 200 people here claiming to be DAP supporters have shifted allegiance to Barisan Nasional.

The group brought down DAP banners at the Sungai Leman operations centre here around 2am Monday and replaced them with Barisan banners.

One supporter, Asri Zainian, 64, claimed the Opposition party had not kept its promises.

He said he was originally a PAS member and had supported DAP for five years.

Asked if he had withdrawn his PAS membership, he said he would submit the documents soon.

The operation centre was set up two weeks ago by DAP supporters. Sited 10m from the gate of the polling station in SK Sungai Leman, is a strategic location for drawing votes.

Sungai Besar Umno committee member Jamil Ramli said the group comprised Malays aged 21 to 50, who were either PAS or PKR members.

Another supporter who defected, Zulkifli Idris, claimed the Opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition's promise of street lights and other amenities had not been delivered.

"Our village is still in darkness."

The population of Sungai Leman is 3,500, with 2,500 of the residents being voters.

The 13th general election, in which 222 parliamentary and 505 state seats are being contested, will be held on May 5.

Meanwhile, Sekinchan incumbent Ng Suee Lim said not more than 10 people claiming to be DAP supporters had contacted the party a few days ago and volunteered their assistance for the elections.

He said he had not expected them to defect to Barisan Nasional.

He added that the group had contacted one of the two DAP Malay exco members to pledge support and its number was not 200 as claimed by Jamil.

"I only knew them for these few days when one of them volunteered his house to be used as a DAP operatiosn centre in Sungai Leman," he said Monday.

He said it did not occur to him to check their background and motive before accepting their offer to assist the DAP but would be more careful from now.