PENANG: The Barisan Nasional's top leaders swarmed onto a political hot seat in the Chinese-majority heartland wavering towards the opposition, warning voters that it would be "catastrophic" if they were swayed by the lies of the opposition leaders.

Former Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, with his earthy delivery in Hokkien, Teochew and Bahasa Malaysia, held the more than 10,000 crowd at the Rifle Range flats in Air Itam spellbound as he recounted his experiences with Parti Keadilan Rakyat's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Voters should remember the kind of chameleon he is. He says something to a Malay audience and then something completely different to the Chinese and Indians.

"I have had first-hand experience working with him (when he was deputy prime minister). I almost vomited blood (a colloquial expression meaning driven to frustration and helpless anger) in fighting for the Chinese cause.

"Now this young punk Lim Guan Eng (DAP secretary-general and son of party supremo Lim Kit Siang) has fallen for Anwar's sweet talk and is working in cahoots with him to convince Chinese voters to vote for the opposition."

Keng Yaik reminded voters that while the opposition said they want to deny the BN a two-thirds majority, such a result could shift the balance of power within the coalition.

"If the Indians and Chinese get taken in, they may see catastrophic consequences," he warned.

He reminded Chinese voters in Penang not to repeat the mistake they made in 1990 when there was a massive swing towards the opposition, resulting in a shift in the balance of power in the state BN.

Gerakan lost many seats and was left almost begging for a chief minister's post, Keng Yaik told the crowd.

His parting words were: "Think carefully of what you want before you vote."

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, who spoke after Keng Yaik, told the gathering that while he did not have first-hand experience in dealing with Anwar like his more senior party colleague, "I also know what kind of person he is".

Ong said the present BN leadership under Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein "understands the needs of the Chinese community. It is easier to present a case to the current leadership than it was with Anwar".

The prime minister, who had yet to speak at press time, was also present together with outgoing Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and MCA and Gerakan candidates standing in the election.