Incessant Ph Attacks Gave Azmin Sympathy Votes Says Kj

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Former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali came under attack for his role in the 2020 Sheraton Move which caused the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government then. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Azmin Ali’s victory at the Selangor polls on Saturday may have been due to sympathy votes, according to former Umno Youth leader Khairy Jamalauddin.
He said Azmin, a former deputy president of PKR, came under incessant attacks by Pakatan Harapan for his role in the 2020 Sheraton Move which led to the collapse of the PH government.
PH had also often labelled Azmin a traitor.
“But it changed in the run up to the state elections, when he became some sort of a tragic figure after everyone started attacking him and were looking to end his political career.
“Malays tend to empathise with such characters,” Khairy said in the Keluar Sekejap podcast he hosts with Shahril Hamdan.
He had been asked if the campaigns carried out by PH had influenced the outcome of the state assembly election in Hulu Kelang, where Azmin had defeated Juwairiya Zulkifli of PH with a 1,617-vote majority.
FMT previously reported that Hulu Kelang residents were willing to look past Azmin’s role in the Sheraton Move, while there was a renewed trust in him following his hard work for the constituency.
PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim previously described the state seat as an important battleground to teach traitors a lesson.
Azmin first represented Hulu Kelang in 1999, before becoming the assemblyman for Bukit Antarabangsa. Hulu Kelang falls within the Gombak parliamentary constituency, where Azmin was defeated in the November 2022 general election.
On Friday night, Azmin had said his defeat in November had given him time to reflect and repent from his weaknesses in the past. There may have been a lesson in his defeat.
“I took the opportunity in the past eight months to reflect. I may have had weaknesses but I pledge to improve myself and will continue to move forward,” said Azmin in his final election ceramah. - FMT

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