On the eve of the nomination day of the 13th general elections, DAP candidates will be bringing two letters of authorization to the candidate nomination centre.
The strategy was conceived following the alleged verbal assurance by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and the Election Commission (EC) that it would not be a problem for DAP candidates to use the Rocket symbol because DAP is not deregistered.
In a press conference held at the Wisma DAP in Penang this evening, he said that the verbal assurance by ROS and EC cannot be trusted and accepted. Therefore DAP will have to bring two authorization letters to the candidate nomination centres tomorrow.
“We will give the DAP candidates a chance to fight and ask for the right to use the Rocket symbol. However if it is not allowed, we will use the PAS logo,’ Guan Eng said.
He reiterated DAP’s decision to contest using the PAS logo in the Peninsular Malaysia seats and PKR logo in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Tell us now, we want the Rocket symbol because it is the symbol of our heart,’ he said in a serious tone.
“This is the dirty tactics of certain desperate parties who is trying to kill off the DAP because they are afraid of losing in the 13th GE.”
Commenting on the EC and ROS statements that DAP can use the Rocket symbol, Guan Eng said that “This is not “Janji Ditepati” (promises fulfilled) and if our candidates are prevented from doing so, the DAP candidates in the Peninsular Malaysia will use the Moon symbol.”
“We are being forced and victimized and denied of our right to use the Rocket symbol. Many of DAP supporters are very angry with this decision by the government. This has caused the people’s anger because BN is using underhanded tactics to undermine us. Evil and wicked BN!” he lambasted.
When asked if DAP candidates were allowed to contest using the Rocket symbol in any particular seat, Guan Eng and DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said that if that was to happen, that all the candidate nomination centre must allowed all the DAP candidates to use the Rocket symbol.
However if they are denied the right to do so, then all DAP candidates in Peninsular Malaysia will use the PAS’s Moon symbol and PKR’s eye symbol in Sabah and Sarawak.
Guan Eng also voiced his concern that there may be certain parties who may put up many independent candidates in order to confuse the voters from voting Pakatan Rakyat.
As of now, DAP’s 51 parliament candidates and 103 state assembly candidates will issue the first authorization letter from DAP to the EC’s returning officers. If they are denied the right to do so, then the candidates will issue the authorization letters signed by PAS’s and PKR’s secretary-generals.
ROS which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs had on 17 April issued a notice to not recognize DAP’s Central Executive (CEC). This may possibly result in its authorization letter not being recognized on the day of candidate nomination and result in the Rocket symbol being not usable.
In a press conference held last night PAS and PKR have agreed to allow DAP to use their parties’ symbol.
