PETALING JAYA: “Who is richer” has become the latest issue to dominate the campaign for the Nenggiri state by-election in Kelantan.
Rivals Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional have each accused the other of flaunting their wealth while campaigning among voters, most of whom are humble farmers, rubber tappers and micro-entrepreneurs.
The first brickbat was from Perikatan’s campaign operations chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who questioned how Barisan’s candidate Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani could afford a helicopter to traverse the constituency which is almost twice the size of Melaka.
Barisan then hit back at Annuar by pointing out how the former Cabinet minister often canvasses for votes among Nenggiri’s farmers and Orang Asli while wearing luxury Louis Vuitton clothes and accessories.
“If LV (Louis Vuitton) can be worn, then helis can be used,” said Barisan’s chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when summing up the latest political scuttlebutt that has captured the attention of the parties in Nenggiri.
Annuar had on Monday questioned who was paying for Azmawi’s helicopter ride, which he estimated to be RM350,000.
He added that the cost of such a helicopter ride could breach the laws on campaign spending limits.
According to Election Commission regulations, candidates for state assembly seats are only allowed to spend a maximum of RM100,000 for their campaigns.
“If we use a five-seat helicopter, the cost is about RM350,000, and that is over the budgetary limit for a campaign which means they breached election regulations,” Annuar said, according to Sinar Harian.
Azmawi has reportedly refuted social media posts that he used a helicopter to travel to a Orang Asli village in Nenggiri, saying that he had driven a four-wheel drive vehicle during the visit.
Ahmad Zahid also responded to the accusation by saying that if there was a helicopter ride, it was not paid for by the Federal Government.
He then also alleged that Annuar, a former rural and regional development minister and Kelantan Umno leader, did little to solve the problems faced by Nenggiri residents such as land ownership for Kesedar settlers and the lack of adequate water supplies for Orang Asli.
“The government and I have to resolve his failures,” Ahmad Zahid, who is the current Regional and Rural Development Minister, said, according to Sinar Harian.
The same day that Annuar accused Azmawi of breaching campaign rules, Johor Barisan leader Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi hit back by saying that Annuar was photographed visiting Orang Asli while dressed to the nines in Louis Vuitton.
“Annuar Musa wearing Louis Vuitton (LV) has gone viral. LV shirt. LV watch. His sandals are also from LV. He hands out instant noodles to the Orang Asli while wearing LV,” Puad wrote in a Facebook post.
“Poor Annuar. It’s not wrong for him to wear branded clothes. It’s true that he bought it all with his own money. But he should dress according to the situation.”
Nenggiri residents go to the polls on Aug 17 to elect a new state representative.
