KKB polls: Khairul's degree questioned online, not by unity govt, says Loke

HULU SELANGOR: The unity government has never questioned the academic qualifications of Perikatan Nasional’s Kuala Kubu Baharu candidate Khairul Azhari Saut, says DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.

According to Loke, it was social media users who questioned Khairul’s academic qualifications by pointing out that he had a master's without having a bachelor's degree.

“We never said his qualifications were not valid. It was raised on social media. We never started it,” he told reporters during a walkabout in Kuala Kubu Baharu on Wednesday (May 1).

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Instead, Loke said Perikatan was trying to divert attention by raising questions on Pakatan Harapan candidate Pang Sock Tao’s academic qualifications.

“So what we did was to state facts. We did not engage in any form of character assassination,” he added.

Loke also said the candidates simply had to state the facts of their qualifications when there are questions raised.

“(Pang) did not speak much, but only shared her transcripts.

“We have no interest in character assassination. That is not our way. We only promote ourselves and do not bring down other people’s dignity,” he added.

The issue arose over Khairul’s biodata which stated that he received an executive diploma in management from Universiti Malaya in 2019 and a master's in Business Management from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) two years later.

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The sequence led to questions on the validity of his qualifications, with some observers asking how he obtained his master's even though his previous qualification was a diploma.

Following that, PAS youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari questioned Pang’s academic qualifications.

In response, Pang posted transcripts of her SPM and UPSR results which revealed she scored straight As in the examinations, and was a student of SM Chung Hua in Port Dickson.

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Ahmad Fadhli then apologised but pointed out that this indirectly revealed she graduated from vernacular schools, and said he hoped it would remain an issue until polling day.

Kuala Kubu Baharu voters will go to the polls on May 11, with early voting on Tuesday (May 7). The seat fell vacant following the demise of assemblyman Lee Kee Hiong, 58, on March 21.

The by-election will see a four-cornered fight involving Pakatan, Perikatan, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and an Independent.