KKB by-election: Fahmi dismisses claims PKR not campaigning for Pakatan candidate

HULU SELANGOR, May 9 — PKR Information Chief Fahmi Fadzil has refuted allegations that the party is not actively campaigning for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate in the Kuala Kubu Baru state by-election, polling for which is on Saturday.

Fahmi, who is also PH Communications Director, said that on the contrary, PKR Vice President and Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was among the most frequent leaders on the ground, campaigning to support PH candidate Pang Sock Tao in KKB.

“The allegations are far from reality. In fact, I understand that Amirudin held the Selangor state government’s Weekly Meeting in KKB. I am here, am I not?” he told reporters after the Pre-Launch Event for Network and Infrastructure Sharing Framework here today.

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On the involvement of several opposition leaders in Pang’s campaign for the unity government, Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, said it was a voluntary act on their part.

“I see, for instance, that Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari has been quite proactive, and I believe he offered to get involved. He has been campaigning with PH for the past few nights, and the Member of Parliament for Tanjong Karang (Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi) was also here (campaigning), so I think it’s their prerogative,” he said.

On March 6, Abdul Rashid, the former Bersatu Selangor chairman, declared his support for Amirudin’s leadership, while Zulkafperi, also from Bersatu, announced his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar’s leadership in January.

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Meanwhile, Wanita Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice head I, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said her presence in KKB was evidence of Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) support for the Unity Government’s candidate in the by-election.

“GPS rarely talks politics, but our presence here shows solid support for the Unity Government. Contrary political claims are common; we don’t need to be overly sensitive and need to be smart about it. I don’t have to fight with PN (Perikatan Nasional) over this,” she said.

The media had earlier reported that PN questioned the absence of Unity Government leaders, including those from GPS, in supporting the PH candidate’s campaign.

The KKB by-election, which sees a four-cornered fight between Pang, Khairul Azhari Saut (PN), Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia), and Nyau Ke Xin (Independent), was called following the death of the incumbent, Lee Kee Hiong, 58, due to cancer on March 21. — Bernama