KUALA LUMPUR – An image of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s face has been ripped off a Barisan Nasional (BN) campaign vehicle in Sg Buloh, where Khairy Jamaluddin is contesting.
The damaged sticker was seen by The Vibes outside the Uptown Kota Dame night market in Kota Damansara here this evening, after images of it made the rounds on social media.
The vehicle, a black Toyota Hilux, was parked behind a mobile stage where Khairy delivered a brief speech after having a walkabout in the area with caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
However, it was unclear whether Zahid’s image was removed deliberately – though the faces of other leaders such as Ismail Sabri and Selangor BN chief Tan Sri Noh Omar remained intact.
This comes amid an apparent tiff between Khairy and Zahid, who have been issuing conflicting statements on the caretaker health minister’s candidacy in Sg Buloh.
Since nomination day kicked off last week, Khairy has said that he was made to contest in the parliamentary seat because he had no choice.
The Umno leadership had allocated Khairy’s current constituency in Rembau, where he has served as MP since 2004, to deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who Zahid said was a “better” candidate.
Throughout his campaign trail, Khairy has also distanced himself from the opposition’s assertions that voting for him is equivalent to backing Zahid.
“Don’t listen to the narrative that a vote for KJ (Khairy) is a vote for anyone else,” he told a crowd of more than 500 attendees at Uptown Kota Dame.
“A vote for KJ is a vote for KJ for SB (Sg Buloh).”
During his speech, Khairy also reiterated his aim of being a good MP for Sg Buloh and to become a future prime minister who is from the constituency.
“I will take care of Sg Buloh well and – one day with your support – I want to become the prime minister who is from Sg Buloh.” – The Vibes, November 14, 2022