KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Sg Buloh candidate Datuk R. Ramanan says his Barisan Nasional (BN) opponent Khairy Jamaluddin has sidetracked from addressing the latter’s past controversies by threatening to take legal action.
Ramanan also said that he was unafraid of being sued for raising scandals allegedly involving the caretaker health minister, but insisted that Khairy is refusing to address the controversies to the voters of the constituency.
This comes after Khairy told Ramanan to make his accusations in a clear and direct manner so that the incumbent Rembau MP can file a defamation suit.
“We shouldn’t go on the issue of who is going to sue who. (Khairy should just) answer the allegations,” Ramanan told The Vibes when met after a ceramah along Jalan Bukit Badak, here, yesterday evening.
I am ever ready (to face legal action). In fact, I challenged him (Khairy) to sue me yesterday (on Sunday), but he’s turned it (the issue) around.”
During a rally in Paya Jaras on Sunday, Ramanan had brought up a slew of alleged scandals, including Khairy’s alleged involvement with the finance house ECM Libra Bhd in 2005 and 2006 – an issue which resurfaced during the current election campaign.
Khairy yesterday maintained that he had been cleared of all related accusations.
In 2005, Khairy purchased 13 million shares from ECM Libra at a discounted RM9.2 million from three shareholders, drawing criticism and accusations of conflict of interest as his father in-law Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was prime minister and finance minister at the time.
Ramanan also asked Khairy to explain a RM107 million scandal that occurred during the latter’s tenure as youth and sports minister.
The PKR politician also raised another controversy involving RM70 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd, which reportedly donated between RM50,000 and RM200,000 to Umno’s Rembau division.
In response, the BN candidate insisted that he had explained all allegations to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and in Parliament, and had done so publicly many times.
However, Ramanan doubled down on his stance that Khairy needed to clear the air on the controversies in the interest of voters.
Explaining to the (PAC) is one thing, but explaining to the voters in Sg Buloh is another thing altogether,” Ramanan said.
“For example, we (in PH) have declared our wealth, but he hasn’t. According to him, he’s declared his wealth to the prime minister. These are the voters of Sg Buloh (who want an explanation) so give them due respect. Let the people know (the truth). What are you hiding?”
“He (Khairy) is not answering anything. All we want is justification from him. I don’t think I need to wait for him to sue me, I might sue him because he might not be telling the truth.” – The Vibes, November 8, 2022
