KOTA KINABALU – Fed up of being targets of cyber-bullying, several Sabah poll candidates have lodged police reports over online attacks they have endured during the campaign period, which ends today.
Candidates for the Likas constituency, Datuk Melanie Chia, Parti Cinta Sabah’s Jeff Lu and Usno’s Daniel Isaac Hoong lodged the reports at the Karamunsing Police Station today.
Hoong said he had three comic strips posted online depicting him as a womaniser and an alcoholic.
He was advised to lodge a police report, although he does not see the viral comic strips as offensive.
“I think as a politician we need to have an open heart, a big heart. It was not so serious, I could still accept.
“So, I made a video to ask them to give me more comics and evidence but after that the thing stopped. And the next person is Lu la. But I think what he did to Lu was really low,” he said.
Lu said several pornographic videos of him and three more election candidates were shared to him, saying the person in his video did not look like him at all.
The other three videos featured Tanjung Aru Warisan candidate Junz Wong, Luyang DAP candidate Phoong Jin Zhe and MCA Likas candidate Dr Chang Kee Ying.
Chang lodged a report two days ago.
All the videos were fake, they said.
Chia meanwhile said such attacks would one day return to haunt the candidates if it is not dealt with properly.
For instance, she said voters turned their backs on her following a 2013 viral message.
“I thought it was not serious – until one voter actually said to me at the polling centre, I don't want to shake your hand because you took RM5 million.
“Then I realised it was serious,” she said. – The Vibes, September 25, 2020
