SEREMBAN: Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for Rantau by-election Dr S. Streram today expressed regret that certain quarters had put up banners bearing a picture of him with a slogan which he described as provocative.
He also expressed worry about his safety as the slogan ‘Ganyang Samo Dio’, which literally meant ‘Crush (destroy) him’, could be misinterpreted as an instruction to ‘beat’ him.
“Everyday I am being provoked, but we (PH) will not retaliate by making provocations too. What’s important is for us to stay focused because I want the people in Rantau to give me a chance. Maybe the provocations were meant to divert my attention, but I will stay focused,” he told Bernama while campaigning at the Nyatoh People’s Housing Project here today.
Streram said he would lodge police report concerning the banners, which were found to have been put up in several locations in Rantau and Kampung Pasir.
On April 13, the Rantau by-election will witness a four-way battle between Streram, Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and two independents, R. Malarvizhi and Mohd Nor Yassin.
The by-election was called after the Federal Court dismissed an appeal filed by Mohamad to set aside an Election Court decision to declare his victory in the 14th general election (GE14) null and void.
Rantau has 20,926 registered voters comprising 11,283 Malays, 5,336 Indians and 3,849 Chinese. — Bernama
