Not everyone is amused by BN’s use of sexual innuendoes while campaigning for its Permatang Pauh candidate Suhaimi Sabudin.

PKR wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin has expressed disgust at her counterpart, Umno wanita chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s so-called display of “affection” for her boss, Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and the use of sexual innuendoes in her campaign speech.

“The clowns and circus have come to town again, this time, starring Umno ministers and leaders who can only tell sexually charged jokes,” Zuraida ( right ), who is Ampang MP, said in a statement.

“Would Permatang Pauh voters want representatives who can only think ‘dirty’ all the time, and who carry secret thoughts after hearing suggestive words?” she asked.

Professionalism expected

Zuraida said some degree of professionalism from leaders of a coalition which has been in power for over half a century is expected during the campaign, which has now entered its third day.

She pointed out that PKR’s candidate and president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, for example, is “refined and an intellect”, and a respectable woman.

Zuraida said Wan Azizah is “so different” from the likes of Umno leaders whom she felt only know how to laugh at cheap jokes.

“Things that a fine lady would never utter from her mouth,” Zuraida quipped.

She was referring to a Malaysiakini report on Shahrizat and Zahid’s use of sexual innuendoes in their speeches at BN events to entertain supporters, and draw support for Suhaimi.

Terms like “er…er” to refer to men’s private part and “playing backside” to refer to sodomy were heard during the Umno leaders’ speeches.

During a BN wanita elections machinery launch on Friday, Shahrizat also threw her support for Zahid, praising him for being a “tough, hard and courageous” home minister, and an Umno leader who garnered the most votes during the party’s internal polls recently.

Keep it private

Suhaimi and Wan Azizah are facing two other candidates - PRM’s Azman Shah Othman and independent Salleh Isahak - in the by-elections which goes to polls on May 7, with early voting on May 3.

The by-election was called when PKR defacto leader Anwar Ibrahim failed to obtain a pardon from the Agong to seek his early release from Sungai Buloh prison where he is serving a five-year jail term for a sodomy conviction.

Meanwhile, Zuraida said the public displays of affection and admiration Shahrizat and Zahid ( left ) have for each other are disgusting.

“If they have feelings for each other, they had better keep it private. The public do not want to know how Shahrizat knows how hard or soft Zahid is,” Zuraida said.

She also questioned why wasn’t Shahrizat chosen to be the candidate in Permatang Pauh instead of Suhaimi, the Umno Permatang Pauh division secretary.

Suhaimi, 44, is a quantity surveyor  by profession, and holds a post of the managing director in a construction company.

“With almost 52 percent of women voters in Permatang Pauh, Umno should have fielded a woman and who else would fit the bill but the chief of women’s wing, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil?” Zuraida mocked.

“Malaysian should not be fooled by Umnos backward behavior and support our candidate, Kak Wan instead,” she added.