KKB polls: Personal attacks against Perikatan candidate show opponents lack ideas, claims Azmin

HULU SELANGOR: Personal attacks are directed at Perikatan Nasional’s Khairul Azhari Saut by the coalition’s political rivals to deflect their inability to resolve bread and butter issues, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali (pic).

The Selangor Bersatu chief said he had advised Khairul Azhari, who is the coalition’s candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, to be patient on the matter and that “the truth will prevail”.

“I sympathised with Khairul who has been attacked left and right for the last three days. I told him that this is just the beginning.

“They can’t solve economic issues, cost of living, inflation, housing or other people's issues.

“They can only attack and slander our comrades in Perikatan,” he said during a ceramah here on Tuesday (April 30).

The former Selangor mentri besar said Perikatan also had a Kuala Kubu Baharu local as their candidate, and not someone who was parachuted there.

He added that while Perikatan winning the Kuala Kubu Baharu seat would not impact the Selangor or Federal Government, it would change the nation’s political landscape.

“It is a sign that enough is enough. Don’t push or insult the people,” said Azmin.

Khairul Azhari’s credentials became a hot topic after his biodata stated that he received an executive diploma in management from Universiti Malaya in 2019 and a master’s degree in Business Management from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) two years later.

This sequence of events led to questions on the validity of his qualifications.

UMPSA chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Johari Mohamad however later came out to say that Khairul Azhari’s education background is valid, adding that diploma holders could further their studies up to the Executive Masters level at UMPSA if they have the required work experience.

He added that the Professional Diploma and Executive Masters programmes are certificates issued by a number of universities and are based on the framework of lifelong learning programmes.

They are recognised by the universities’ Senate instead of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, Ahmad Johari added.

Perikatan’s Khairul Azhari is engaged in a four-way contest for the Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat against Pakatan Harapan’s Pang Sock Tao, Parti Rakyat Malaysia’s Hafizah Zainudin and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin.