Selangor MB to finally show up in Sungai Besar

(The Star) – It also appears that the Selangor Mentri Besar has finally endorsed Amanah over PAS in the by-election, where the two partners in his state government are contesting in the three-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional.

Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who has been “missing in action”, will be making his first campaign appearance in Sungai Besar on Tuesday afternoon.

It also appears that the Selangor Mentri Besar has finally endorsed Amanah over PAS in the by-election, where the two partners in his state government are contesting in the three-cornered fight with Barisan Nasional.

Azmin will be sharing the stage with Amanah candidate Azhar Abdul Shukor at an event billed as “Ifta Perdana” in Dewan Kampung Hala Cara Baru, a village in the Malay fringe of Sungai Besar.

Posters of the event showing Azmin and Azhar, both clad in orange baju Melayu, have gone viral on social media.

Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, has been walking the diplomatic tightrope since the start of the campaign because he was reluctant to offend PAS, which was very supportive of him during the Selangor Mentri Besar crisis.

His no-show has been glaring given that the by-election is taking place in his state and has became a campaign issue for Amanah’s opponents.

Azmin has not attended a single ceramah or walkabout in Sungai Besar even though it is only one-and-a-half hours by car from Shah Alam.

Various PKR leaders have been mouthing all kinds of flimsy excuses that he is busy with other duties and that he has to attend buka puasa functions with the Sultan of Selangor.

This was in contrast to the pre-campaign period when he would perform subuh prayers at different mosques and mingle with the locals at the morning markets.

PKR vice-president and Bukit Katil MP Shamsul Iskandar said Azmin is committed to assisting the twin election campaigns and will also be in Kuala Kangsar on June 17.

“His presence starting today will be a boost to the morale and campaign machinery of Pakatan Harapan,” said Shamsul.

Tuesday’s event is a big step by him in favour of Amanah which has been struggling in the campaign.

No details were offered about the event, which is expected to be a buka puasa, followed by maghrib and terawih prayers.

However, sources said that Azmin is unlikely to make any political speech or statement.

Amanah is up against Barisan Nasional’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi and PAS’ Dr Rani Osman in the June 18 polls.