Anwar calls on voters to kick Azmin out of Gombak in GE15

GE15 | Voters in Gombak have been urged to teach their incumbent MP, Azmin Ali, a lesson for betraying the mandate of voters who supported him in the 2018 general election.

At a mega ceramah attended by more than 5,000 people in Gombak yesterday, Pakatan Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim said he wanted to see Azmin suffer a disastrous defeat in the Nov 19 general election.

"I am (Harapan) chief. I am saying that the traitor must be kicked out of Gombak."

Anwar then linked Azmin to the tale of "Si Kitol",  a treacherous individual in 16th-century Malacca who, according to the Malay Annals, left Malacca vulnerable to the invading Portuguese, which also led to the collapse of the Malacca Sultanate.

"Si Kitol was burned to death. I am merely bringing up a historical example because Malay history teaches us not to betray. I asked a Chinese friend what happens to a traitor according to Chinese history - and I was told that traitors are beheaded.

"But, of course, we don't have to behead or burn (Azmin). We will just kick him out of Gombak. Let it become a lesson to the Malays in the future that they should not accept anyone who betrays the mandate of the people," Anwar added.

Azmin has been Gombak MP for three terms, which he won under the PKR ticket. This time, he is contesting as a Perikatan Nasional candidate.

In 2020, Azmin and nine other PKR MPs left the party to force the collapse of the Harapan administration. Most of the defectors joined Bersatu, which formed a new government.

‘Sheraton Move not a betrayal’

Part of Azmin's current campaign narrative involved arguing that the "Sheraton Move" was not a betrayal of the voters’ mandate.

Training his gun on Anwar, Azmin described Anwar as "the father of traitors", following the latter's role in the so-called "Kajang Move" and "Port Dickson Move" where he said Anwar plotted to become the Selangor menteri besar in 2014 as well as the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Anwar appeared unconvinced that Ismail Sabri Yaakob is able to come out with a smaller cabinet - after having formed a bloated cabinet with 70 ministers and deputy ministers.

He also said a parliamentarian who was previously appointed as a special envoy and got paid without doing a stroke of work.

Anwar then went on to question former Perikatan Nasional chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin's ability to lead the country, given the fact that the PN government had given out whopping contracts worth RM500 billion without any open tender being called.

"Muhyiddin said he was the best prime minister. Both Muhyiddin and outgoing Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin came out with all these policies. But up until now, the cost of vaccine procurements, the issues surrounding the contract tender, and the company that was given the contract still remain unknown.

"I am appealing to the people: please save the country. Give us a chance so that we can try our best to bring a change (to the country)," Anwar added.

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