By Regina Lee and Kuek Ser Kuang Keng | Malaysiakini
The welcome given to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at two back-to-back functions in this small constituency of Tenang last night were poles apart.
While Lim was given a rousing welcome when he arrived for his first ceramah in Bandar Labis Tengah, it was a totally different scene in the night, in Felda Chemplak Barat.
As early as 5pm, reporters were told that Umno supporters would “demonstrate” against Pakatan Rakyat at the settlement around 8pm, when Lim was expected to arrive.
It was only around 9pm when about 30 youths wearing BN T-shirts gathered some 20 metres from the PAS ceramah venue. Shouting traditional PAS slogans such as ‘takbir’ and ‘Allah-u-akbar’, they also yelled that Pakatan people were liars and cheats.
As the PAS ceramah took off with several speakers, including ulama wing information chief Nik Zawawi Nik Salleh and Mazlan Aliman of Persatuan Anak Felda (Anak), the BN youths were began heckling, telling them to baliklah (go back).
About 20 uniformed policemen, and just as many in plainclothes, kept a close watch on the group. There were about 150 people present, most of them journalists and party workers, at the session, during which it rained lightly, on and off.
But it was only when Lim arrived that the group went wild, intensifying in their jeering.
While DAP secretary-general spoke, largely dismissing the perception that the party is anti-Islamic, the group sang Inilah Barisan Kita and several Islamic religious songs.
Lim, who has been to other Felda settlements before, said it was his first visit to Felda Chemplak Barat and that “this won’t be my last”.
At the same time, he also teased the group, saying he was open to freedom of expression, and then went on to recite a pantun for “the betterment of the group back there”.
As he left after about 15 minutes there, a group of Chinese press photographers who were also leaving the venue were heckled by the youths.
‘Hecklers manufactured’
Lim later joked that he never expected such a warm welcome to the ceramah.
“But we were not shocked. We learnt that they would gather, but we still came. How can we be intimidated by such tactics and ruffians?” he told Malaysiakini.
He also fired salvos at BN, calling the heckling “manufactured” and “a desperate tactic”.
“These are the desperate tactics of BN and Umno. There is no need for such tactics if they are so sure they will win by a 5,000-vote majority,” he said.
“(The youths) are definitely not locals. If we go into a Felda scheme, even if they (the settlers) don’t want to hear us speak, they will definitely not behave in this manner.
“This is a by-election and we too have the right to come here to campaign,” he said.
Celebrity status in town centre
Earlier, at a ceramah held in front of DAP’s operations centre at Bandar Labis Tengah, Lim was received like a superstar by the 300-strong Chinese crowd, giving him cheers and thunderous applause.
As he waited for his turn to take the stage, residents crowded to take photographs with him.
It started raining after Lim began his 10-minute speech, but the crowd soldiered, with umbrellas and taking shelter in the surrounding shoplot corridors.
After the Penang chief minister finished speaking, those who bought copies of his biography queued up for his signature. More than 80 books were sold during the ceramah.
Lim in his speech highlighted the achievements of Pakatan-ruled states such as Penang and Selangor, which have topped the other states in drawing foreign direct investments.
He compared this with BN’s scandals, including the MIC’s investment arm Maika Holdings, Umno’s RM52 billion bumiputra shares and MCA’s RM13 billion Port Klang Free Zone debacle.