KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau said he does not feel upset that he was not able to meet Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang when the PAS president was in Penang for a ceramah earlier this week.

The Bayan Lepas hopeful played down the incident at Sungai Dua last Tuesday that was widely spread on the internet in which he was asked to leave the PAS ceramah venue before he could meet Hadi.

"I do not feel kecil hati as in politics anything can happen,” he was quoted by The Star as telling reporters in Balik Pulau, Penang today.

"As a leader we have to face many challenges.

"Any issues between the component parties, we will settle internally,” he was quoted as saying further.

Lau has denied news reports that he was asked to leave the Sungai Dua venue even as he conceded that Gerakan was not invited to speak at the PAS ceramah even though the two parties are in the same Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Today, he sought to explain why he wanted to meet Hadi in Penang, saying that prior to the state elections, PN component party leaders had agreed to meet up during the election campaign to discuss their strategies.

"I was at the ceramah to see Abdul Hadi. As the event ran late I could not speak to him and had to leave.

"He asked to meet at 9pm at the Sungai Dua ceramah before it began but he... was there around 10.30pm.

"As the ceramah had begun I could not speak to him,” the Penang PN chief was quoted as saying.

Lau added that he has since spoken to Hadi.

He was also asked if the widely spread video would tarnish his image as Gerakan president and PN deputy chairman, and replied that it depended on a person’s viewpoint.

"I am thinking about all six states. We want to lead the country and not think about these things. We should all focus on campaigning,” he was quoted as saying.

As political parties step up their pace for the August 12 six state elections, Lau said the main focus now is for him to spend more time with voters to gain public trust and support.