Khairy: Anwar and gang are 'cowards'

(MalaysiaKini) Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin today launched a scathing attack on opposition leaders.

He labelled the leaders, including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Anwar Ibrahim, as cowards for not wanting to contest in the Jan 28 Batu Talam by-election in Pahang.

“Opposition leaders (DAP veteran) Lim Kit Siang, (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang, Anwar and (PAS secretary-general) Nasharuddin Mat Isa are cowards who are afraid to face the voters.

“If they continue like this, they might as well withdraw and disband their parties,” he added.

Khairy - who is also Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son-in-law - was commenting on the opposition’s decision to boycott the by-election in order to press for electoral reforms.

The 31-year-old politician had accompanied Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Batu Talam Abdul Aziz Kiram to submit the nomination papers.

The by-election, called following the death of BN incumbent Tengku Paris Tengku Razlan, will witness a straight fight between Abdul Aziz and 22-year-old independent candidate Ng Chee Pang.

Khairy claimed the independent candidate is being sponsored by DAP. “Maybe PKR and PAS is also behind them,” he added.

Ng’s father, Kui Ling, is the DAP Pahang treasurer. However, the opposition party has denied backing the candidate.

Gunning for hat-trick

Meanwhile, Khairy expressed disappointment with the opposition’s decision to boycott the polls because he was gunning for a hat-trick.

“I miss the opposition in Batu Talam because I wanted a hat-trick following the Kuala Berang by-election (in Terengganu) and Pengkalan Pasir by-election (in Kelantan),” he said.

He also dismissed the opposition’s reasoning for the boycott - that the Election Commission favoured the ruling coalition.

“We will travel the country to tell the people that this is the attitude of the opposition which is not serious in championing the people’s cause through elections,” he said.

“What happened to the opposition (PKR) slogan at one time ‘lawan tetap lawan’ (fight the fight)?” he asked.

“This proves that they (the opposition) is not brave enough to fight for the people,” he stressed.

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