SIBU: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sibu division chairman Robert Lim yesterday claimed the result of the Jan 17 Kuala Terengganu by-election did not show any increase in Chinese support for the Barisan Nasional (BN).

“On the contrary, the result showed that the Chinese support for the BN had dwindled,” he said when clarifying reports in the newspapers which said the BN was getting stronger support from the Chinese as shown by the result of the by-election.

He said the BN garnered more votes from the Chinese compared to PAS in both the general election (for Kuala Terengganu seat) in 2008 and the by-election for the same seat on Jan 17.

“But the number of majority votes from the Chinese at the by-election was lesser by 98 votes when compared to that of the 2008 general election,” he said.

He said in the 2008 general election in the constituency of Kuala Terengganu, the BN won more Chinese votes than the PAS with a majority of 1,197.

“At the by-election, BN also won more Chinese votes when compared to the number PAS had garnered. But the majority this time was only 1,099.

“On that score, the result this time actually showed that the Chinese support for the BN had dwindled,” Lim added.

In the by-election, PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut defeated BN candidate Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh by a majority of 2,631 votes.

Meanwhile, Lim said PKR was to give ‘angpows’ to the Methodist Children Home later yesterday in connection with the Chinese New Year celebration.

Among those present was PKR Sibu Division vice-chairman Dr Ting Chek Ming.