An unexpected incident unfolded at the Ceramah Mega PN Best program in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, last night, as Gerakan President Dominic Lau was asked to leave the event in the presence of PAS President, Abdul Hadi Awang. The altercation arose as Lau attended the event without an official invitation, causing tension and raising questions about protocol and party affiliations.
While other leaders from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition were granted places on the stage, Lau and a group of his Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) supporters stood on the sidelines, eagerly waiting for Hadi's arrival.
PAS Vice President, Idris Ahmad, who was one of the speakers at the ceramah, approached Lau to greet him. However, before Lau could join Idris on the stage, PAS Penang Secretary, Iszuree Ibrahim, intervened and firmly informed Lau, "Those who are not invited, please wait here."
Although some attempted to protest the decision, Iszuree stood firm, stating, "You can't, just go!"
In a curious twist, Iszuree has been rumored as a potential candidate for the Bayan Lepas State Legislative Assembly seat, a constituency that Lau is expected to contest. The incident raised eyebrows among attendees and observers, who wondered if this played a role in the uninvited guest's dismissal.
Later, when PAS President Hadi finally arrived, tensions escalated further. Lau's assistant, Wendy Subramaniam, requested the PAS Youth members accompanying Hadi's car to allow Lau to meet with Hadi. However, the PAS Youth members firmly responded, "Don't allow."
As a result, Hadi was escorted directly to the stage, leaving Lau and his supporters behind. The situation unfolded under the watchful eyes of attendees and became a topic of heated discussion on social media platforms.
Watch the video below or click here to watch it on Twitter:
Video Timbalan Pengerusi Pergaduhan Nasional, Tuan Guru Dominic Lau dihalau PAS Bayan Lepas.
— Najib Bakar (@najib_bakar_) August 2, 2023
Alaaa shiannnnnn. pic.twitter.com/gEAt4y1gP7
Responding to the incident, Dominic Lau denied any notion of being chased away from the event. He clarified that his presence at the event was not to deliver a speech but to meet with PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang. According to Lau, prior arrangements had been made for the two leaders to engage in a "short discussion about PRN (state elections) strategies."
Lau explained the challenge of finding a suitable time for the meeting, as their busy schedules had hindered a prior arrangement. He revealed that he arrived at the event site in Sungai Dua after 9 PM, whereas Hadi's arrival occurred much later, around 10:30 PM, making a meeting before the stage appearance practically impossible.
As conflicting accounts surfaced, Lau emphasized that the primary objective of their meeting could not be achieved due to the timing constraints. However, he also disclosed that he managed to communicate with Hadi over the phone after the event. The two leaders discussed and successfully resolved the arising issues.
Despite the clarification, Lau was quoted by The Star admitting that Gerakan had not been invited to join the ceramah organized by the PN component party. The incident has highlighted the complexities and sensitivities of political events, prompting discussions on decorum and communication between parties within the coalition.
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