SG BULOH – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Sg Buloh candidate Datuk R. Ramanan poured cold water on Barisan Nasional (BN) opponent Khairy Jamaluddin’s ambition to become prime minister.
Ramanan said the interim health minister’s announcement that he was eyeing the number one post yesterday evening was “laughable” as Khairy’s own party, Umno, does not want him at the top.
“If he contests in his own party elections, he cannot win (and become party president). His own party does not want him,” Ramanan told The Vibes in a press conference.
“The one who signs the watikah (appointment letter) and selects candidates is Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is the president of the party."
“If BN wins (the 15th general elections), Khairy will not even become a minister. I don’t know what dreamland he’s in that he thinks he will become prime minister.
During a ceramah in Saujana Utama last night, the caretaker health minister said that despite his long-term ambition, the candidate for the prime minister’s post following GE15 is still Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“Someday, I want to lead Umno. I want to be your prime minister, but I must win Sg Buloh first.
“But not now… Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) will be the prime minister (if BN wins GE15),” he said.
The 46-year-old also said that while he can still wait to pursue his ambition, it will not take too long to realise his dream.
A victory in Sg Buloh, he said, is exactly what he needs to express his aim to lead the party and country to Umno.
Although Khairy indicated his rise would not take place in the near term, Ramanan said he believed Khairy would not wait to seize the earliest opportunity.
“If possible, he would have done it yesterday. Recently, he said he wanted Ismail Sabri to become prime minister, now he says he wants to be prime minister.”
Ramanan also warned that Khairy’s rise to the top would “hancurkan” (destroy) the country, pointing to the Rembau incumbent’s past controversies.
“Why would Sg Buloh voters want you as PM? If he wins, he will be too busy politicking to become PM, and he won’t take care of the people.
“To me, he is crazy for power, crazy about posts, and crazy for glamour.”
Since nomination day on Saturday (November 5), Ramanan had brought up a slew of Khairy’s controversies, including the latter’s alleged involvement with the finance house ECM Libra Bhd in 2005 and 2006 – an issue which resurfaced during the current election campaign.
Khairy has maintained that he had been cleared of all related accusations.
Ramanan also asked Khairy to explain the 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 and in Parliament, and had done so publicly many times. – The Vibes, November 9, 2022
