Barisan launches counter-attack at Penang’s Rifle Range

PENANG: The battle for Penang has intensified as polling day draws nearer.

Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was joined at the Rifle Range flats here last night by top guns from the MCA and Gerakan to win over Chinese voters.

Abdullah, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik were greeted by thousands of people when they arrived at the flats.

Rifle Range, which has about 8,000 votes at stake, is in the heart of the Bukit Bendera parliamentary seat and was the first high-rise project built some 40 years ago.

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng became the main targets of the four Barisan leaders who in turn fired salvo after salvo at them.

Huge turnout: Thousands at the Rifle Range flats in Penang listening to Barisan Nasional leaders campaign for their candidates on Wednesday.

Abdullah revealed that Anwar tried to come back to Umno “but we don't want him.”

The Barisan chief said the opposition's loose coalition was a marriage of convenience for the sake of Anwar's benefit.

While Ong and Dr Koh spoke about the problems Anwar had created for the Chinese schools when he was in power, Dr Lim warned that Anwar said different things to different audiences.

As for Guan Eng, Ong warned that the DAP leader would not be able to serve the needs of Penangites because “his heart and family were in Malacca” while Dr Lim called him a “stupid boy” for working with Anwar.

Abdullah said Penangites were not so stupid as to vote for Lim.

Leading the charge were Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting (left) and Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon.

The mammoth Barisan gathering last night came a week after Anwar campaigned at the same area.

Anwar was also recently criticised by two former political allies, Dr Chandra Muzaffar and Datuk K.S. Nallakaruppan, recently over his leadership qualities.

--THE STAR