Turned away from Pas event? Lau clarifies

BAYAN LEPAS - Gerakan President Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai has come forward to clarify over reports stating that he had been prevented from attending a Pas ceramah in Penang and meeting up with Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.

He said due to their tight schedule, the two party presidents could not meet up.

"Yesterday due to tight schedule we could not meet.

"I have no intention to attend the ceramah either because I have my programme in Bayan Lepas to meet up with my voters.

"I was there around 9pm, but he arrived after 10.30pm. We could not meet up as he (Abdul Hadi) needed to deliver his speech, so I left, that's all because the objective (to meet) was not achieved.

"But we managed to sort it out through a phone call when he was on his way back to Kedah," he said.

He disclosed that the meeting had been planned before the state assembly was dissolved.

"This is what we had agreed upon even before the state assembly dissolution.

"We discussed that Abdul Hadi would visit Penang, and we would have a short chat to discuss the strategy for the six-state elections," Lau told Sinar Daily today.

However, due to his busy schedule, Lau had to leave the event early as he had other commitments in Bayan Lepas.

He expressed surprise at the spread of misinformation and rumors surrounding the incident and reiterated that the matter is now closed.

"I don't know why the news spread like this. The issue is closed, and I don't want to comment further.

"Let's move on because we only have a few days left before the state elections," he added.

Earlier today, it was reported that Dominic was asked to leave a PN ceramah in Sungai Dua last night after showing up without being invited.

According to a local daily, Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong confirmed that the party was not invited to attend the ceramah, which Abdul Hadi also attended.

Oh said Gerakan and Pas had an amicable relationship but the incident had led to grouses from the party’s grassroots.