KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Jamal Md Yunos, the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Sg Besar parliamentary seat, is confident voters will understand his struggle despite his past involvement in several controversial acts.
He once made the news for wearing a towel while holding a dipper and a toothbrush in front of the Selangor Secretariat (SUK) building to protest against water disruptions in Selangor.
Jamal said the causes he fights for have a lot to do with the people’s welfare, especially in Selangor. He said he is known not just in Sg Besar but all over the country.
“The character I portray is not who I really am. Sometimes, people may not understand the issues I raise, but they will in the long run.
“It’s true that people say I’m crazy, stupid, funny, or a clown, and so on, but when the water problem continues, people will remember Jamal Yunos,” he said in an interview with Getaran.
Jamal, who is also the Sg Besar Umno division chief, said he resorted to such drastic acts as he put the needs of the community ahead of himself and his family.
“For me, the issue is important, so I am willing to put aside the issue of my personal dignity and family.”
“I’m not the only one who is insulted by the public when I wear a towel. My children, wife, and siblings are also affected, but what is important is my fight for the people,” he said.
Despite acknowledging that his methods are quite unorthodox, Jamal claimed that they had a big impact and the problem was brought to the attention of the right audience and was successfully solved.
“For example, the alcohol issue. I broke a bottle of wine in front of the SUK building. That’s because I don’t want to see Selangor used as a place for an alcohol festival like Oktoberfest, which is German culture.
“Of course, I don’t agree; Islam also prevents it. If the Chinese or Indians want to drink, that is up to them, but they can’t do it openly,” he said.
Speaking about his campaign strategy in Sg Besar, Jamal said that the non-Malay community in Sg Besar is becoming more accepting towards him.
“For the last week of campaigning, our machinery will focus more on the people so we can reach out personally to them and garner more support for BN,” he said.
The Sg Besar parliamentary constituency will witness a four-cornered clash between Jamal, Datuk Muslimin Yahaya (Perikatan Nasional), Saipolyazan Mat Yusop (Pakatan Harapan), and Asmawat Samad from (Gerakan Tanah Air).
In the last GE-14, Muslimin won the Sg Besar seat with a narrow majority of 714 votes, defeating the BN candidate, Budiman Mohd Zohdi, and Salleh Husin (PAS). – The Vibes, November 14 2022
