The ongoing ‘MB vs MB’ battle in the Perak government saw another salvo being fired at a Barisan Nasional (BN) ceramah last night in Changkat Jering, Perak.

BN-appointed menteri besar Zambry Abd Kadir had a pertinent question for Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin, his Pakatan Rakyat rival who is also claiming the post.

bukit gantang by election zambry abdul kadir ceramah 010409 08 Zambry claimed that Nizar had stated his position as ‘Pasir Panjang assemblyman’ and not as ‘menteri besar’ in his nomination papers filed last Saturday, to contest the Bukit Gantang by-election on April 7.

“All this while, he has been telling the whole world he is the lawful menteri besar. So why didn’t he address himself as the menteri besar in the nomination papers?” exclaimed Zambry, much to the delight of the crowd comprising mainly women and the elderly.

He made a point of the fact that the Perak sultan appoints the menteri besar, “not the likes of DAP leaders like Nga Kor Ming and Ngeh Koo Ham”.

This was a reference to his own appointment by the sultan after the Pakatan-led state government collapsed last month, as well as to talk that Nizar is the DAP duo’s “puppet” .

Zambry then alleged that Pakatan had bribed villagers with kain batik (sarong) and keropok (traditional crisps) in Air Kuning in Changkat Jering, while on the campaign trail.

bukit gantang by election zambry abdul kadir ceramah 010409 04 “At a ceramah I attended yesterday, a makcik (elderly woman) came to me and said, ‘They gave me kain batik and keropok . They said if I took it, I would have to vote for PAS.

“All this while, they (Pakatan) have been accusing us of corruption. Now they themselves are practising it. I do not know whether that makcik told me the truth or not, but I know these villagers are honest people.”

When he asked the crowd if they too had received such offers, they shouted back ‘Yes!’

“Let me tell you, take the kain batik , take the keropok . But when you vote, you vote for Barisan Nasional,” he responded, to thunderous applause.

Ban defied

Former PKR Youth chief Ezam Mohd Noor (left in photo below) , who has since joined Umno, also addressed the crowd.

bukit gantang by election zambry abdul kadir ceramah 010409 07 The ceramah ended at 11.50pm - well after the 11pm deadline set by the police as one of the conditions of the permit to be observed by all political parties, so as not to disrupt the peace in village areas.

Zambry, when asked to comment, said he had “no knowledge of this”.

“I don’t know if the police have set such restrictions. They should inform us about it if there is such a thing,” he added.