The Malaysian Insight

GOBIND Singh Deo arrived in Port Dickson today to campaign for PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim, insisting that he is doing so in his personal capacity and not as a cabinet member.

“We always support our friends when there are elections,” the communications and multimedia minister told reporters at a coffee shop in the army town.

“I came to campaign because we are close friends. I’m not here to support him as a minister, I am here as Gobind Singh Deo, and of course, I am Puchong MP.”

Anwar yesterday said Gobind will campaign for him in Port Dickson, where the minister will address the poor internet service.

The DAP lawmaker, however, said efforts to boost internet connectivity in the parliamentary constituency have nothing to do with Anwar.

News portal Malaysiakini had reported that Lukut assemblyman Choo Ken Hwa slammed Anwar for organising free dinners for constituents.

It quoted the DAP rep as saying such dinners are no different from the vote-buying practices of the previous Barisan Nasional government.

Gobind defended Anwar’s team, saying the move is part of campaigning.

“It is not a case of Anwar organising a function and inviting people and giving them food.

“Are we saying that a candidate cannot come to a coffee shop where everyone is buying food for each other?”

Anwar is in a seven-way battle for Port Dickson. He is up against five independent candidates – Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Isa Samad, Lau Seck Yan, Stevie Chan and Kan Chee Yuen – and air force veteran Mohd Nazari Mokhtar of PAS.

The seat fell vacant after Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, of PKR, quit as MP to make way for Anwar, who is attempting a Parliament comeback.

This is in line with Pakatan Harapan’s plan to have him take over from Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.

In the 14th general election, Danyal got 36,225 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional’s Mogan Velayatham and Mahfuz Roslan of PAS, who received 18,515 and 6,594 votes, respectively. – October 6, 2018.