KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today said the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) and Tunku Abdul Rahman University College’s reduced allocation are not the main reasons that caused Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Tanjung Piai by-election defeat.

Lim, who is also the Finance Minister said there were many other factors that led to the Tanjung Piai ‘vote swing’.

“We already said that we did not reduce the funds, the money is already available, provided that MCA gives up its political control of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC).

“Once they give up, the money will be available. That is the position of the government,” he told reporters when met after the MoU signing ceremony between SME Bank, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd and China Communication Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCC-ECRL) today.

Earlier, Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching said the UEC recognition and the TARUC allocation deduction were among reasons why Chinese voters ‘returned’ to MCA during the Tanjung Piai by-election.

Commenting further, Lim said there were many reasons behind PH’s defeat.

“There are a lot of reasons behind the defeat. If you think this is the sole reason, I don’t think so.

“But it is one of the factors that MCA and Barisan Nasional (BN) exploited,” said Lim.

The Tanjung Piai by-election saw Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Wee Jeck Seng defeating PH’s Karmaine Sardini with a majority of 15,086 votes.

PH’s defeat this by-election is far worse compared to the voting majority of just over 500 during the GE14 last year with Wee running against Datuk Dr Farid Md Rafik. 

“I want to congratulate BN, Datuk Seri Najib Razak for their win in Tanjung Piai, and I feel that this is a signal for PH to realise that it isn’t enough that we have managed to change the country from ‘kleptocracy’ to democracy.

“The rakyat wants to see that we are able to fulfill the promises we made through our manifesto during the GE14,” he said.

He added that PH needs to be seen as a coalition that represents all Malaysians.

“These are a few messages which the rakyat is trying to convey to us the Tanjung Piai by-election.

“If we do our best, the rakyat will make their own evaluation and will make a decision to support PH,” he said.