Zaid Ibrahim’s foray in Hulu Selangor officially began last night with back-to-back rallies in Felda settlements in Sungai Buaya and Ligamas, in attempts to reach rural Malay voters who have traditionally backed BN.

NONE In Sungai Buaya, the PKR candidate appealed the crowd of 300 to reject BN because of land issues they are facing, that has remain unresolved since 1994.

"Now there are no more no new Felda settlements and no benefit for the second generation of Felda settlers, they are still poor... Do not misappropriate their money and their homes, if you make the promise to give 10 acres you have to fulfil that responsibility,” he said.

                

Zaid then zeroed on Umno whom he blamed as the root of the problems faced by Felda settlers.

"Let us be clear on this matter... if you want to enrich your race, we should do it for all, not just the Umno race," he added.

Judging from reactions, Zaid’s bout of Umno-bashing struck a chord with his audience, but the cosmopolitan politician had to take pains to charm an audience that he is less used to.

NONE “I came from a poor family, I know what it is like to be poor. I hope the people of Hulu Selangor will understand  that it is not because we want to rule this country, but because we want to fix it,” he said.

"There were times when people used to ask why I was in Umno, it was the same reason Anwar joined Umno... We hoped to make changes from within, by giving our service to the people.”

Zaid was a highflying lawyer with close links to Umno. Eventually, he was elected as the Kota Bharu MP and later made law minister.

He resigned in 2008 in protest of the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) on journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, opposition lawmaker Teresa Kok and blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin.

‘ My wealth not from graft’

In his speech, Zaid took swipes at Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin for suggesting that the he was made PKR’s candidate because he is financially well off.

NONE "Muhyiddin said that I am rich, maybe he is alluding that I was corrupt... we cannot condemn people for being rich or poor, but in their case, they have abused their powers.

"What have I done? I was just a minister for six months. Though I was a minister, I was not the minister in charge of Petronas or the minister in charge of iron or metal.

"I took care of law and judiciary... where is the money in that?" said Zaid, prompting applause and nods in agreement.

Stressing his ‘clean’ credentials further, Zaid challenged his critics to visit Kota Bharu, where he was MP for one term from 2004 to 2008.

“Visit Kota Bharu, enjoy nasi dagang and ask the people about me,” he said.

Zaid denied claims that he owned properties in Dubai, London and Australia, even adding that he wished this was the case.

“I have one wife and three kids. We live a moderate life... All I have is a 15-year old house in Kota Bharu and another in Petaling Jaya,” he said.