Najib's ministership for Mah nothing to do with Teluk Intan, says DAP

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's promise to make Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Mah Siew Keong a cabinet minister if he wins in Teluk Intan is misleading, DAP reiterated late Thursday.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told a crowd of more than 2,000 people here that the Ministership had nothing to do with whether the Mah wins or loses in the Teluk Intan by election.

Lim, whose speech was punctuated by loud cheers from the Chinese majority crowd, said that the only reason Mah will be given the post is solely due to his position as the Gerakan president.

"There has never been an announcement like this. How many by-elections have we had? Why was nobody announced promises to be exco members or ministers? Why is Mah so special? Think about it."

Lim gave examples in MIC president G Palanivel who lost in the Hulu Selangor seat in the 13th General Election, and Gerakan president Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon.

"They did not win but was given backdoor senatorship," said the Penang chief minister, who urged voters to create a "miracle" in Teluk Intan by giving the opposition the win.

Meanwhile DAP publicity chief Tony Pua described Najib's announcement in Beijing as a desperate move to ensure victory at all costs.

"They are fearful that the political landscape will change forever with Dyana's win. They are fearful that racial politics preached BN UMNO will no longer work in the future," Pua told Astro AWANI at the sidelines of the ceramah.

Pua warned Mah that DAP was monitoring if Mah would accept an expected senatorship, or follow in the footsteps of Koh, who allegedly flip-flopped on this matter.

"It will be a questions of integrity and future Credibility if two presidents say they won't accept but later do. I think he will be offered and likely to accept," he said.

Earlier, Najib announced the promise to give Mah the ministership, saying Gerakan has been a founder member of BN and the Gerakan president has always been a minister.

“If Mah wins, then I can announce tonight that he will be made a member of the cabinet,” Najib had told the Malaysian media during a working trip to China.

Mah is expected to face a close contest against DAP’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud in the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat.

In GE13, Mah had lost to DAP's Seah Leong Peng, whose death triggered this by election.

Polling is on Saturday.