GE14 | Former minister Rais Yatim made his first appearance at a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Titi, Jelebu tonight.

He arrived at around 10pm to wild cheers from the crowd and was allocated a front row seat.

More than 1,000 people had turned up for the ceramah.

However, DAP national organising secretary general Anthony Loke said Rais was not yet ready to give a speech, but appreciated his presence nonetheless.

Loke, in his speech, related how he had previously witnessed Rais speak on an opposition platform.

"The first time I heard Rais speak at a ceramah was in secondary school, when I was 13 years old.

"I remember, at that time, it was the 1990 general election. My dad and I were at a ceramah in Seremban.

"The opposition was Gagasan Rakyat. Rais, who was the deputy president of Semangat 46, together with then DAP chairperson Chen Man Hin and Lim Kit Siang spoke on the same stage," he said.

Semangat 46 was an Umno splinter party.

Loke said he was impressed by Rais when he heard him speak for the first time.

"I admire Rais as a gentleman, as someone who has a strong command of the language. He is always a gentleman.

"Even though we were on opposing sides when he was a minister, he was always a gentleman," he said.

Loke said he was glad that many Umno veterans have now joined Harapan's cause.

At the end of the ceramah, Rais posed for pictures with Loke, who is contesting in the state seat of Chennah and Amanah's Bakri Sawir, who is contesting in Klawang.

Both are state seats within the parliamentary constituency of Jelebu, where Rais Yatim was the former MP.

The other two state seats there are Pertang and Sungai Lui.

Of the four state seats, the opposition only managed to capture Chennah in the last general election. The ceramah tonight was also within Chennah.

Even though Rais did not speak, he was a popular figure there, as many of those present went up to him to shake his hand.

They also posed for photographs with him.