Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing jokingly urged voters in Mahkota, Johor to cast their ballots wisely during the Saturday (Sep. 28) by-election, or else they could risk losing their right to wear shorts and miniskirts.
Tiong, who is also the president of Sarawak Democratic Party, was speaking at a Chinese cultural event on Tuesday night, Sep. 24, reported Malaysian media Malay Mail and Malaysiakini.
"How are we going to protect our own values?"
Tiong told the audience that he was speaking to a lady who was wearing a skirt that didn't cover her knees.
“I joked with some ladies. I said, here in Mahkota, we have a by-election... Some parties have been advocating their religious and ethnic views. How are we going to protect our own values?"
The Sarawak Democratic Party president said that not voting could signal support for Parti Islam se-Malaysia's (PAS) more conservative views.
“If here in Mahkota, with just one vote, we do not make an effort to support this by-election, it would show that our Chinese community is endorsing the key points advocated by PAS,” said Tiong.
The by-election is a contest between Barisan Nasional's (BN) Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah and Mohamad Haizan Jaafar, a former football player, as Periktan Nasional's (PN) candidate.
Tiong, as part of the government, is allied with BN while PAS is a component party of the PN coalition.
Concerns Chinese voters may stay home in protest
There is concern within the government that Chinese voters may choose to stay home in protest instead of casting their ballots in the by-election.
One contributing factor involved perceived dissatisfaction among the Chinese towards Umno Youth chief Muhamad Akmal Saleh for attacking Democratic Action Party vice-chairperson Teresa Kok, including wanting to stick a non-halal logo on Kok's forehead.
Tiong urged the Chinese community to cast their ballots to increase the majority vote.
"Do not support their extreme, religious or race-based views"
The Mahkota electorate comprises 35 per cent Chinese, 54 per cent Malay, and eight per cent Indian.
"We need to show the opposition that the Chinese do not support their extreme, religious or race-based views," Tiong said.
"So, if you are not active and don’t encourage (voting), you are essentially endorsing their views."
In the same event, Tiong also addressed concerns that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is neglecting the Chinese community, assuring that Anwar "wants all races to be one family".
Top image via @tiongkingsing/X