AMANAH president Mohamad Sabu has sought to clarify reports from the Malay media that he quarreled with Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters during nominations earlier today and lost his cool.
Mohamad, who is seeking re-election in his Kota Raja seat, was said to have verbally sparred with BN supporters after exiting the nomination centre at the Shah Alam City Council hall in Kemuning Utama.
However, in a video denial this afternoon, Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, said it was not he who started the scuffle but the BN supporters.
“When I was exiting (the nomination centre) with my nominator and supporter, we passed the BN group and they insulted me. I just walked straight to where Pakatan Harapan (PH) was gathered.
“About 15 minutes later, I walked back because the Elections Commission (EC) and police were meeting the candidates. Once again I passed the BN camp and I was insulted once more.
“I only said one (thing) in response: (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) is in jail (and Datin Seri) Rosmah (Mansor) will go to jail,” he said, referring to the disgraced former prime minister’s prison sentence for corruption and his wife being found guilty for graft a few months back.
Mohamad also rubbished an allegation, which he claimed came from BN, that he was insulting women during the verbal altercation.
A TikTok video making rounds online of the verbal rift claims the former defence minister said, “Weh bohsia” to the crowd. Bohsia is a term often used against women who are involved in immoral activities and linked to Mat Rempits.
“Not a man’s voice but a woman’s”
He said the “loudest voice from the groups of BN supporters was a man’s, not a woman’s”, adding that he did not direct his response at anyone in the crowd in particular.
Mohamad also thanked the Royal Malaysian Police Force (PDRM) for controlling the situation.
Meanwhile, Mohamad is up against seven others in Kota Raja, a Malay-majority federal constituency in the Klang and Petaling districts.
Apart from Mohamad, who won the seat in 2018 with a 71,142 majority, candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN), Pejuang and three independents have also thrown their hats in the ring.
As for Najib’s Pekan constituency in Pahang, Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Fuzi Sh Ali is seeking to retain the BN stronghold for the coalition against candidates from PN, PH, Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) and one independent.
Najib’s oldest son Datuk Mohd Nizar, on the other hand, who was expected to stand in his father’s seat, is contesting the Peramu Jaya state seat, which is part of the federal Pekan constituency.
Najib is unable to contest in the polls this time as he is serving a 12-year prison sentence after the Federal Court in August upheld his RM42 mil SRC International corruption case conviction, sentence and fine.
Rosmah, who was found guilty in September on all three counts of corruption in connection with the RM1.25 bil Sarawak rural schools’ solar energy project and sentenced to 10 years in jail, has gotten a stay of her conviction pending disposal of her appeal. – Nov 5, 2022
Main photo credit: Malay Mail
