KUALA LUMPUR – Youths in Kelantan need assistance, and helping them is not corruption, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a brush-off to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
The Umno president said his Muda counterpart, who accused Zahid of “normalising corruption”, can “say whatever he wants”.
“The fact remains, that youth need assistance so that they can run activities,” Zahid was reported saying in Kelantan today by Sinar Harian.
Zahid was responding to Syed Saddiq’s tweet: “‘I will approve hundreds of thousands of aid… (as long as you) promise to vote for my party on August 12.’ Nothing to see here. Just the normalisation of corruption”.
This evening, Muda’s 19 candidates in the six state elections also issued a joint statement, urging the Election Commission to take action against Zahid.
The candidates also said the federal government, of which Zahid is deputy prime minister and also rural and regional development minister, must state its stand on such pre-election promises.
Zahid in Terengganu yesterday announced an allocation of RM250,000 to the Terengganu Youth Council and RM200,000 to motorcycle teams across the state.
He openly urged the youth present to vote for the “blue and red wave” in the upcoming August 12 state election.
“That’s what I just (announced). After this, the prime minister will come up; he will top up, and add more, InsyaAllah. As long as on August 12, the youth will join the blue wave (BN) and the red wave (Pakatan Harapan) in the state of Terengganu,” Zahid declared.
Zahid even took a playful tone, insinuating that the more applause he received, the more “approvals” he would dish out. – The Vibes, July 29, 2023
