GE13: Not gate-crashed; it was an open event – states SAPP

Despite all sorts of allegations he made against the more senior Yong, Junz (right) is greeted by the former Chief Minister when he went to the DAP ceramah. Philip is seated left.

KOTA KINABALU: SAPP election campaign director Datuk Philip Yong has urged DAP leaders not to resort to lies to mislead the people.

He said due to persistent lies by DAP leaders, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president and him attended the ceramah organized by DAP at Foh Sang, on Wednesday night to clear the air over the false allegations hurled at the president, in particular the lie about  Project IC.

Earlier, PKR leader Dr Chong Eng Leong in his speech at the ceramah, insinuated that Datuk Yong Teck Lee was involved in Project IC.

Philip explained that their presence there was to ask Dr. Chong to repeat what he had allegedly said about Yong’s involvement in Project IC and phantom voters, adding that an open discussion there would have cleared the air over the allegations.

“But the organizers, including DAP election director Fred Fung, refused. They did not allow the discussion to take place because Dr Hiew of DAP is afraid of the truth,” he said.

Philip also refuted claims by Fung that they had gate-crashed that night as the ceramah was an open talk where no special invitation was necessary and that anybody could come and listen.

“For DAP to choose the location in front of SAPP HQ and to blare out the vicious lies about Yong Teck Lee being involved in Project I/C is already a challenge to Yong to fulfill his earlier promise to turn up at DAP’s ceramah to reply the lies against him.

“Datuk Yong and I joined Dr. Chong and Junz Wong at the front row and greeted each other. The atmosphere was cordial, although Junz Wong was fidgety.

“The atmospheres only became “high” when Dr. Hiew shouted rough language through the loud speakers,” Philip said, adding that SAPP then invited Dr. Chong to the SAPP ceramah 50m away to speak, but he failed to come without any reason.

A party that uses lies to mislead the people for the sake of winning would not be a good government but an irresponsible one.

He therefore urged the people to decide whether to choose deceiving DAP/PKR or SAPP.