IPOH, April 23 – Veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang has urged voters to reject all independent candidates, regardless they are Pakatan Rakyat (PR) or Barisan Nasional (BN) members, in the 13th General Election (13GE). Urging the voters not to vote for independent candidates, he said the 13GE should be a contest between PR and BN and there was no room for a third candidate.
“Regardless whether they (independent candidates) are PR or BN members, there is no room in this battle for change for a third choice because it will only undermine the possibility of political change.
“Everything must be subordinated to this possibility of political change between PR and BN.
“In the past, history has shown that independent candidates never made an impact in Malaysia,” he told reporters after a walkabout in Pasir Pinji here today.
Yesterday, DAP member Sim Tong Him withdrew as an independent from the race in Kota Laksamana to fully back Lai Keun Ban, the candidate fielded by DAP. However, Sim continues to contest the Kota Melaka parliamentary seat under the DAP banner. Lim urged DAP members who had gone against the party by standing as independent candidates to withdraw and continue to support the party.
“In the past, we had former DAP members contesting as independent candidates but they failed to make any impact…they have since left the political arena,” he said.
Asked whether he would meet other DAP members who contested as independent candidates, Lim declined comment.
Few DAP members such as Jenice Lee and Ng Lam Hua joined the GE13 race as independents. Lee and Ng are defending their state seats in Teratai (Selangor) and Mengkibol (Johor).
BERNAMA
