Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has ordered members of BN Youth to scour Hulu Selangor and remove billboards, posters and banners that attack the dignity of any by-election candidate.

Since the start of campaigning over the weekend, material attacking Pakatan Rakyat leaders has surfaced in the parliamentary constituency which goes to the polls on Sunday.

NONE These in particular expose PKR candidate Zaid Ibrahim’s ‘drinking habit’ and label party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as ‘a traitor to the nation’.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament lobby today, Khairy claimed that personal attacks are not the modus operandi of the BN coalition.

"This is not our intention and we are against it... I hope that the remainder of the by-election can be conducted in a clean manner."

He, however, conceded that such tactics are common and that these happen “on both sides”.

Despite the high stakes involved, Khairy stressed that Umno and its Youth wing in particular should show restraint.

"We should not have to resort to attacking or assassinating someone’s character," he said.

'Not part of the plan'

Khairy denied that the ‘offensive’ banners and posters are part of BN's campaign strategy,

khairy jamaluddin kj interview 190310 "I wouldn’t know. I don’t think this is the plan. This has never been the plan. I have no knowledge of this. This was not started by us but by others."

While acknowledging that the BN could gain from such tactics, he said Umno should distance itself from questionable practices.

"What I am trying to say is that we shouldn’t continue to play with this issue. It may have been started by other people, but we shouldn’t been seen near this issue.”

PKR had complained about the items to the Election Commission earlier today, while a police report has been lodged in Kuala Kubu Baru.