Campaigning in Bagan Datuk, Anwar steers clear of criticising Zahid

PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim had hard words for each of his political foes while campaigning in Bagan Datuk today, from Muhyiddin Yassin to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, although one name appeared absent from the list: the constituency's incumbent, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

Speaking at a ceramah in the Umno president's stronghold, Anwar focused on criticising Muhyiddin's administration during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, never once mentioning the corruption charges brought against Zahid. 

Instead, he sought to play down speculation of a secret pact between him and Zahid. 

"We have sent our commander to fight Zahid," he said, referring to Pakatan Harapan's candidate for the seat, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.

"People say that Anwar has held talks with his student," he added. "I am a friend to all, I have no personal enemies. 

"Najib Razak put me in jail, but I didn't raise the matter. It's just that his luck wasn't good enough and he was sent to jail. Karma." 

Zahid was recently acquitted of a number of corruption charges linked to the foreign visa system. However, he still faces 47 others involving the misappropriation of funds from charity outfit Yayasan Akalbudi.

Anwar also hit out at Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria, repeatedly calling him "stupid". 

Razman had previously claimed that Anwar would legalise same-sex marriage and that DAP would carry a communist agenda if PH won GE15. 

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was not spared either, with Anwar saying that his one-time ally was "riding on religion".

"I campaigned with Nik Omar," he said. "He said his father (Nik Aziz) never stopped praying that I would become prime minister. 

"Yusuf Qardhawi, the world's number leading religious scholar and Hadi's boss, also supported me as prime minister."

Anwar, who is contesting the parliamentary seat of Tambun in GE15, said Mahathir was not to be trusted either, following the former prime minister's statement that he was willing to work together with other opposition parties. 

"Enough, Mahathir. The people are not stupid. He was given a chance (but he) did it again."