Datuk R. Ramanan has challenged Khairy Jamaluddin to get Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to campaign for him in Sungai Buloh, ahead of the 15th General Election in Malaysia.
Ramanan of Parti Keadilan Rakyat is Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate for the parliamentary seat. Party president and PH leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, will be at the constituency tomorrow to speak to voters.
“My president is coming to campaign for me. I want to ask Khairy, will his president do the same?” asked Ramanan.
“Pakatan Harapan’s component parties are united in our quest to win the seat and the election. I cannot say the same about Barisan Nasional.
“Over the past several days, people like Fahmi Fadzil (Pakatan Harapan’s information chief), Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH chief secretary) and Amanah’s Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, have campaigned on my behalf.”
Ramanan said Anwar’s appearance tomorrow would help swing some votes in his favour as “the people want to see our future prime minister”.
Besides Ramanan and Khairy, the other candidates running in Sungai Buloh are Mohd Akmal Mohd Yusof (Pejuang), Ahmad Jufliz Faiza (Parti Rakyat Malaysia), Mohd Ghazali Md Hamin (Perikatan Nasional) and independents Syed Abdul Razak Syed Long Alsagoff and Nurhaslinda Basri.
Asked how confident he is ahead of the polls on Saturday, Ramanan replied: “I am very confident. The people can see how united we are. They know the promises I have made are with the backing of party leaders.
“I cannot say the same about Khairy. He is promising the voters the heaven and the earth but he and his president are openly bickering. Will they support his plans? I doubt it.
“Khairy also said he wants to reform Umno. Why is he only saying this now?
“Why wait when he is at the mercy of voters to claim he is a reformist? He stood by all these years and even ‘acted’ in a video with convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, urging people to vote for Barisan Nasional.
“All of a sudden, he is a reformist? If the people want a reformist, they can look to Anwar, our ‘Bapa Reformasi’.”
Ramanan added that Khairy is desperate for votes.
“He is throwing his president (Ahmad Zahid) under the bus.
“He is putting the blame (of Umno’s misfortunes) on his president and comrades. He is betraying the very people who put him in power.
“He is power, position, and glamour crazy. If he is willing to betray the people who helped elevate him, imagine what he will do to the people of Sungai Buloh when he no longer needs them,” Ramanan addded.
