Low blow to use Zahid's slip of tongue as campaign tool - Ahmad Maslan

NENGGIRI BY-ELECTION | The opposition's tactic of using Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s slip of the tongue when addressing the Palestine issue is a low blow that won't catch on, said Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan.

He attributed Zahid's misspeaking to fatigue and a tight schedule, which resulted in the error even though Zahid knew that the event was to support Palestinians.

"It was a gathering for Palestine, isn't it? Zahid didn't do it (on purpose).

"(He) forever (gives) support (to) Palestine,” Ahmad (above) told reporters while campaigning in Nenggiri, Gua Musang yesterday.

During the Palestine Liberation Rally held at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, Zahid, in a speech before a crowd of about 10,000, wanted to say Malaysia would continue to support Palestine.

However, instead of saying Palestine, he mistakenly said Israel.

Zahid has since apologised, saying the mistake occurred when he enthusiastically expressed his support for the issue of the war raging in the Middle East.

“In the heat of the moment and in high spirits, I made a mistake in my speech and I hereby apologise for that.

“But with a sincere heart and burning spirit, I continued to chant ‘Free Palestine!’, ‘Long live Palestine!’, and ‘Allahu Akbar’,” he said on Facebook.

Campaign tool

The opposition had used Zahid's subsequent video as a campaign tool for the Nenggiri state by-election on social media platforms WhatsApp, Facebook and even TikTok.

Machang PAS Youth's TikTok page is among those that spread the video with the caption “A vote for Umno/BN was a vote for Israel”.

Asked if the matter could impact the BN campaign in Nenggiri, Ahmad said the public can accept that it was not intentional.

"I know he (Zahid) is really tired as a result of going back and forth, officiating (meetings of Umno delegates) officiating various programmes, and coming to Nenggiri again," said Ahmad.

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