PKR Hulu Selangor candidate Zaid Ibrahim has challenged BN deputy chairperson Muhyiddin Yasin to first declare his own assets before making allegations about Zaid’s wealth.

"I can declare my assets and liabilities now or the very next day if required, but only if Muhyiddin does the same," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini at his double-story bungalow located in Tropicana Golf and Country Resort this morning.  

                                        

NONE Yesterday, the deputy prime minister ( left ) said that the only reason the Pakatan Rakyat coordinator was chosen as candidate because he was rich .

Zaid, who is also former Umno division leader and law minister, added the claims were meant to portray him as an Umno turncoat who left the party after he had milked the party of its riches.

"Umno likes to accuse me of being rich, but I never received any projects from them.

"If I did, then they would have been happy to list them out.

"I have no projects, shares, approved permits, nor do I have a business. I only have my few investments. My money came from 30 years as a lawyer in a big firm," he explained.  

But surely a luxury bungalow in this elite neighbourhood, where houses are retailed at millions of ringgit, and the on-going renovations cost a pretty penny?

"I am not as rich as (Muhyiddin) … It's not that I am penniless, but I'm not as rich as what some people are trying to portray me.

"They claimed that I have houses in Dubai and London. My wife is getting worried and asked me whose names are these houses under," he said, jokingly.

NONE Earlier, Zaid’s wife Suliana Shamsuddin Alias turned down Zaid’s invitation to join the interview, saying that "this is not the Obama campaign" and that she does not even have make up on.

‘Mr Moneybags’ or not, at the very least, Zaid’s bank balance is enough for him to buy  “a small house” in Hulu Selangor  should he win the by-election.

“If I have to buy a house in Hulu Selangor to provide better service to the community then I am willing to do so,” said Zaid ( right ), adding he did the same when he was active in politics in Kota Bharu.  

Bring on Mahathir

Zaid also delivered a swift blow to International Trade and Investment Deputy Minister Mukhriz Mahathir and son of fourth Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad for joining in the attack.  

"My father is not a former prime minister, or a wealthy person, I am a kampung boy. Where did I siphon this money from?

"I was a minister for six months, and a law minister too, not finance minister or in charge of Felda or Petronas," he said.

manek urai by election tuan aziz and mukhriz mahathir bn campaign 070709 06 Yesterday Mukhriz ( left ) hit out at Zaid for saying that voting for MIC is akin to providing opportunity for Mahathir to return to power, by urging voters to remember his father’s contributions.

Asked if he is afraid that his statement will lead Mahathir to campaign against him, Zaid’s response was simple — bring it on.

“I hope he will (campaign against me). If Mukhriz said that this is war between Mahathir and me, then I say, please come down and campaign,” he said.

“(BN) can spend a lot of money (to the constituency), but I believe the people of Hulu Selangor will know who will better represent them,” he said.