The prime minister said the opposition had also lied by implying that he was campaigning for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) candidate because he wore blue.

“This is to get the Chinese angry, but I do not see the Chinese being so stupid as to be cheated.

“They are smart because they have gone through many elections,” he said after attending a breakfast session with the locals here.

He was responding to questions on claims that pamphlets saying “vote Muslim first” had been distributed at a PH ceramah in Kukup Laut.

The leaflets reportedly featured a red halal logo as well as background information on Karmaine and the achievements of the late Tanjung Piai MP Md Farid Md Rafik.

“When voting, it should be that when there is a Muslim and non-Muslim candidate, we choose the Muslim no matter the party.

“When there is more than one Muslim candidate, we choose the biggest. So vote PPBM. This follows the right principles,” the leaflet said.

PPBM Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman later spoke of suspected sabotage, saying no one had any knowledge of the printing or distribution of the flyers.

When asked about concerns over recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate and funding for Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Mahathir said every race would have its own issues and concerns.

“We try to find ways to resolve this dispute,” he added.

On who would replace PPBM’s Md Farik Md Rafik as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Mahathir said he had yet to make a decision.

“Let us think about that after the by-election,” he said.

Farik, who held the national unity portfolio, died in September, triggering the by-election in Tanjung Piai this Saturday.