EC Urged Not To Act Against Teen Troupe

GEORGE TOWN May 14. Datuk Huan Cheng Guan has urged the Election Commission (EC) not to take legal action against a group of performers, who brought musical instruments to the nomination centre for the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election here on Monday.

Huan, who is contesting under the Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) ticket, said the EC should consider against lodging a police report against the troupe for allegedly failing to comply with the Election Offences Act 1954.

"All the drum players are teenagers, who cannot understand the laws set by the EC. I feel that we should not victimise the children.

"The EC should, instead, look for the people who had hired them," he said here yesterday.

Huan, who is PCM vice-president, urged DAP candidate Ramkarpal Singh and two independent candidates to dissuade the EC from taking action against the performers.

"Let us join hands and appeal to the EC not to lodge a police report against the youngsters.

"If they have lodged it, we (can) urge them to drop the case. I hope DAP will not wash its hands (of the issue) and place blame on the kids."

Section 24A of the Act prohibits party supporters from carrying musical instruments and loudspeakers, lecturing and campaigning at the nomination centre, among others.

If convicted, offenders could be jailed not more than a year or fined not more than RM3,000 or both.

In the incident, 500 DAP supporters arrived at the nomination centre with a troupe playing Chinese drums, kompang and traditional Indian instruments, as well as carrying loudhailers.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said it would lodge a report against party supporters who had contravened Section 24A.

Huan said the Selangor PKR polls fracas was a testament that the party was in disarray.

He took a swipe at the party over the unruly behaviour of some of its members on Sunday, describing PKR as Parti Kelentong Rakyat (party that cheats the people).

"Some PKR members' behaviour was akin to gangsterism and I think it would be appropriate to call it a gangster political party, " he said in response to party deputy president Azmin Ali's labelling of PCM as Parti Cari Makan (party that exploits for opportunities). New Straits Times