KOTA KINABALU, May 1, 2018: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) appears to be once again a target of dirty tactics as campaigning for the 14th General Election enters its third day.
SAPP deputy president Melanie Chia said a video clip taken inside the Maksak Hall during the April 28 nomination day was another example of how certain groups were resorting to smear tactics against the party.
The clip shows the SAPP president protesting against the Election Commission officials allowing amendments in the nomination forms for PKR’s Api Api candidate Christina Liew at 12.30pm.
Yong had argued that such action was unlawful as it violated the conduct of election laws.
However the clip that gone viral on social media came with the caption: Yong Teck Lee and his gang bullying Josephine (Hadhikusumo), the daughter of Christina Liew who was submitting the nomination papers for her mom who was in Tawau for her MP seat.”
Melanie who was in the hall as the proposer for SAPP Luyang candidate Gee Tien Siong said Yong had protested to the Assistant Returning Officer upon seeing the wrongful action.
She said she was shocked when Josephine then called Yong “samseng” or thug.
“I was utterly dismayed by Josephine’s behaviour who despite being trained as a lawyer can call a fellow lawyer samseng,” she said in adding that as a matter of courtesy, lawyers refrained name calling their counterparts.
Melanie said Josephine’s words reflect a lack of control of her thoughts and emotions.
It is also a reflection of her guilty conscience, knowing that she had wrongly filled her mother’s nomination form, Melanie said.
To make matters worse for her, Josephine was caught red handed writing her name as the witness in the nomination form two and a half hours after the deadline for submission.
“We hope the public will see the entire picture of what had transpired and the real thugs are those spreading lies and false messages,” Melanie added.
“We just want a fair and level playing field in this election. Afterall, we are all fighting for a fair, just and civil society. Stop the dirty tactics,” she said.
Melanie said Yong was not attacking Christina’s candidacy but merely wanted to see the election laws and regulations being abided to.
In the 2013 elections, SAPP was a victim of slander with allegations that the party was a BN agent and that Yong was the recipient of RM80mil.
The then DAP candidate for Likas Junz Wong made a public apology to Yong after the polls for the allegation.
“By that time Junz won the seat against Yong who had also contested the Likas seat. We want to stop these smear tactics at its tracks now,” Melanie added.