GEORGE TOWN: Gerakan has urged its members to defend the party and Barisan Nasional coalition rigorously against the opposition’s cyber attacks.
Its president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said the opposition had managed to sway the voters and win the seats in the 2008 and 2013 general elections by spreading lies about BN.
“We have been under cyber attacks from the opposition since the last two general elections.
“During GE13, they even spread rumours that Bangladeshi nationals were being brought into the country to cast votes, which the people believed.
“However, it was subsequently proven by Bersih to be a lie,” he told reporters after attending the state Gerakan Convention here today.
Mah urged members to become keyboard warriors, spreading the truth and give out the real facts.
“If you hear someone talking bad about BN or Gerakan, speak up and defend the party. Do not keep quiet. We have to fight back all these false rumours being spread by the opposition,” he said.
Mah said he can see that the party members were now stronger and more focused, following the setbacks suffered in the past two general elections.
“The mood is better now nationwide, as we have seen from our successes in the Sarawak state election and Sungai Besar and Kuala kangsar by-election.
“We are hoping to get a Penang tsunami in the next general election as the people are fed up with the current administration,” he said.
He said Penangites’ frustration was apparent from the fact that Penang was now a deeply divided state.
“In 2008, DAP won 19 seats and they did the same in 2013, which has made them arrogant and we can see that they had failed to people.
“For example, they said they are running a clean state but leaders are charged with corruption. They say democracy but bully those who criticise them,” he said.
Mah said while DAP was fond of claiming credit for all the successes in Penang, the truth was that the success was as a result of the foundation laid out by former chief minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon.
“Intel, Western Digital and many other international companies were brought in during the 1980s and 1990s when Gerakan was leading the state government.
“What did DAP bring in? Ikea, which has yet to come up?,” he asked.
Mah also took a dig at DAP’s adviser Lim Kit Siang over his newfound friendship with Tun Dr Mohamad Mahathir.
“For 20 years, Lim had attacked Mahathir said that Mahathir practises nepotism, cronyism and corruption but today he is singing a different tune. Today, he is saying that Mahathir will save Malaysia,” he said.
Mah also said that it was likely that Lim was planning to contest in Penang during the next general election.
“I'm sure Lim is going to run away from Gelang Patah as over the past 10 elections, he never stayed in the same place for long.
“Why does he run away after four years? Because people know you well after four years,” he said, while referring to speculations that Lim would be contesting in Penang in the next general election.