“Serves you right!” Perhaps, that’s what ex-health minister and current podcast host Khairy Jamaluddin appeared to have implied in reference to youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh who had come under heavy fire recently over the involvement of her husband’s company in the Selangor Mobility pilot project.
In the latest edition of his popular Keluar Sekejap podcast which he co-hosts with former Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan, the former Rembau MP had openly “mocked” the DAP minister’s alleged penchant for presenting herself as a “morally superior” individual which has now come back to haunt her amidst the ongoing controversy over her husband Ramachandran Muniandy’s start-up company.
For context, Ramachandran is the chief executive officer of Asia Mobiliti, one of two companies selected in the proof-of-concept period for Selangor’s Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) pilot project.
Khairy had pointed out that Hannah was one of those prominent Pakatan Harapan leaders who was fond of showing off her moral superiority as if implying that her opponents, especially Barisan Nasional, were immoral and involved in crony capitalism. But isn't it an open secret that BN has always been linked with allegations of cronyism and nepotism ever since the eighties?
Furthermore, according to him, apparently, it was because of her past “moral posturing” that the backlash against her from opposition supporters, fence-sitters and even her own PH supporters has been quite severe.
Nevertheless, last Thursday (May 30), Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari had reiterated that Hannah had not influenced the decision to appoint her husband’s company as one of those selected to test-run the DRT pilot project; in fact, he added that neither he nor anyone from DAP were involved in the appointment process as it was fully conducted by the state’s Menteri Besar Inc.
While undoubtedly, Khairy like anyone else has every right to voice his opinion on a matter of public interest, probably what many will be asking is: why did it seem like as if he was bent on exacting some form of personal revenge? Also didn't his verbal attack on the unflappable Segambut MP reveal the “opportunist” side of him?
However, to give credit where it is due, during his tenure as the health minister, Khairy did steadfastly champion the Generational End Game ban - which was a total ban on the sale of cigarettes, vapes, tobacco, and related products for everyone born after 2007; and he continues to be a faithful advocate of it till this day. Kudos!
But overall, has his conduct been above reproach - that he can freely convict others of their “sins?” Doesn't he have his own share of dubious controversies - maybe even a closet full of them?
For starters, in 2022 he was alleged to have received cash contributions from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd, where a former employee of the company was testifying against current Umno president Zahid Hamidi at the latter’s foreign visa system (VLN) corruption trial; the employer had testified that the former Umno youth chief was an indirect recipient of financial contributions amounting to between RM50,000 and RM200,000 for the Rembau Umno division.
And then, there was a time when he came under fire from Umno warlord Puad Zarkashi who raised the issue of the infamous “fourth-floor boys” supposedly spearheaded by Khairy. For the record, they were said to be a team of advisors to the then prime minister Ahmad Badawi - Khairy's own father in law - which allegedly “influenced” government decisions!
Meanwhile, some may also recall during the run up to the historic GE15 in November 2022 when as the BN candidate for the Sungai Buloh parliamentary seat, his main political opponent from PH, R Ramanan had challenged Khairy to explain his past unresolved “controversies” including the one involving financial house ECM Libra Bhd.
It was reported that back in 2005, Khairy had allegedly purchased 13 million shares from ECM Libra at a “discounted” RM9.2 million from three shareholders; this drew criticism and accusations of “conflict of interest” as his father in law was the prime minister - as well as the finance minister at the time!
In fact, Ramanan had also raised the financial scandal involving some RM107 million in his Youth and Sports Ministry! However, to be fair to Khairy, he had accepted responsibility for it even though he wasn't directly involved in the case.
More significantly, during the pandemic when the former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the controversial state of emergency in the country, why did he choose to remain silent? Where was his moral compass back then?
Not only that, during his time as the national coordinator for the nation’s vaccination programme, didn't he also ruthlessly crack down on those who had refused to comply with the mandatory vaccine due to fears that it had deadly side effects? Well, haven't those people been vindicated now?
Coming back to the recent edition of his podcast, did his outburst actually inadvertently expose the deep hatred and distrust he still harbours towards DAP and Pakatan Harapan - a typical Umno youth leader trademark?
Furthermore, while unfairly vilifying Hannah over the Selangor Mobility project controversy, can Khairy actually pinpoint exactly which “sin” had she committed in the first place?
Finally, for a savvy Oxford-educated gentleman and a proud prime minister wannabe, couldn't his criticisms of her be more objective - and less personal?
Information Source: Scoop, BenarNews, Malay Mail, Malay Mail, Malay Mail, Malaysiakini, The Vibes, and TRP
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