
KUALA LUMPUR – Acts of vandalism on posters of election candidates have emerged, with those from Pakatan Harapan (PH) the target.
PH Segambut candidate Hannah Yeoh said her campaign billboards and materials in four locations throughout the affluent Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) suburb were vandalised.
She posted photos of the defaced materials on Facebook, including one of her face cut out from a banner.
“To the party who did this – Happy dealing with the wrath of the voters in TTDI,” Yeoh said on Facebook.
She said TTDI residents had informed her of the defacement, as well as of banners that were torn down.
“This is dirty and disgusting politics. Contest the election in a clean manner, please!” she wrote, also urging TTDI residents who may have CCTV recordings of the actions to email them to her.
Yeoh’s rivals for the seat in the 15th general election are from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Two days ago, Permatang Pauh candidate Nurul Izzah Anwar also lamented a banner of hers that had her face cut out.
“Come on young people, let’s build mature politics. Leave behind the culture of hate that is ultimately harmful,” said the PKR vice-president, who faces a four-cornered fight with BN, PN and Pejuang.
In Johor, meanwhile, DAP candidate for the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat, Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, also said more than 200 PH flags were found dumped in a ditch along the Kampung Parit Kuari road yesterday.
He said the flags had been put up barely six hours earlier, before they were found discarded.
The DAP Johor vice-chairman blamed “gangster politics” and called the act a dirty and uncivilised tactic.
“This attitude undermines democracy which allows political parties to campaign in a healthy and legal manner in compliance with the laws established by the Election Commission and the authorities,” he said on Facebook.
Sheikh Umar will be in a three-cornered fight for the Ayer Hitam seat facing the incumbent Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong from BN and PN’s Muhammad Syafiq A Aziz.
Ayer Hitam was narrowly won by Wee in 2018 by a 303-vote majority – The Vibes, November 8, 2022