Bagan Pinang by-election: Surrounded by Pas, Tsu Koon takes fright

2009/10/05

PORT DICKSON: Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon yesterday related his scary moments near the Bagan Pinang by-election nomination centre on Saturday when opposition members and supporters turned unruly.

Koh, who is also minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said he was being driven in his official car when hundreds of opposition supporters blocked the road leading to the Port Dickson Municipal Council building where the nomination process was taking place.

"A pool of Pas supporters were gathered in the middle of the road. They were shouting and my driver had to remove my official number plate. They booed at us so we decided to park at a nearby Petronas kiosk.

"The situation was rather hostile. They were yelling and showing vulgar signs. Shortly afterwards, it rained heavily and the crowd dispersed so we took the opportunity to leave the station and continued our journey to the nomination centre," Koh said after attending a Rukun Tetangga function here.

Koh admitted that he was scared and worried during the incident as the opposition supporters were very aggressive.

"I hope the opposition party members and supporters could refrain from such unruly behaviour in future. This is not our culture."

He urged those concerned to respect the electoral process and let the voters decide who should be their candidate.

Fellow Barisan Nasional leaders have also expressed their disappointment with the unruly behaviour of opposition supporters on nomination day when Umno supreme council member Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim was allegedly assaulted while making his way to the nomination centre, here.

Wanita Umno chief, Datuk Shahrizat Abdul Jalil described the act as shameful and one that should not have happened at all.

She said the opposition supporters should not have resorted to such violent acts and should respect the laws laid down by the Election Commission for a smooth electoral process.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the opposition was behaving like gangsters and paid no respect to the electoral laws and procedures.

"Such incidents leave a black mark in any election and should be avoided at all costs. I am disturbed by the incident and urge the EC and other related agencies to look into the matter," he said.

Pas vice-president, Sala-huddin Ayub, who is also heading the party's electoral machinery, said the allegations made by Azeez were a lie and that he was merely seeking cheap publicity.