State polls: ‘We should all just move on’, says Lau accepting PAS’ apology

GEORGE TOWN: Accepting the apology from PAS, Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau now wants everyone to “move on” from the incident.

“I accept it with an open heart and it is a small issue.

“This is just a small thing.

“We are all humans and humans cannot run away from making mistakes.

“Whether it is correct or wrong or a misunderstanding, now I want to put a full stop to this and just move forward.

“Let us put a full stop to it and work on campaigning to get the support of the people,” he said during a press conference after speaking to fishermen in Bayan Lepas on Friday (Aug 4).

Lau then urged Perikatan Nasional allies to set aside their personal grievances and work together in the final half of the campaign.

“There are seven days left and we must go all out and get the mandate.

“What you have seen does not picture what our real relationship is like.

“We can resolve matters internally.

“Of course, we are grateful to PAS for (publicly) apologising and we accept it,” he said.

PAS has apologised for the incident involving Lau, who was snubbed at Perikatan ceramah in Sungai Dua recently.

PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said as the leader of a Perikatan component party and candidate in the state election, Lau should be accorded adequate respect.

He (Takiyuddin) apologised to Lau on behalf of the party leadership and urged party members to accept Lau’s candidacy for Bayan Lepas.

On Aug 1, Lau was not welcomed at a PAS ceramah in Sungai Dua, Penang.

At one point, he was told by Penang PAS secretary Iszuree Ibrahim to “go away”.

Lau is contesting in the Bayan Lepas state seat under the Perikatan ticket against incumbent Bayan Lepas assemblyman Azrul Mahathir Aziz from Pakatan Harapan.

It was reported that the PAS grassroots were threatening to boycott the polls after Lau was named to contest in the Malay-majority Bayan Lepas state seat.

Local PAS leaders said the party had been doing the groundwork there for years and would not accept Lau, whom they claim is a “parachute” candidate.

However Lau was seen being supported by Perikatan secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin who turned up to show his support during nomination day on July 29.