KJ should ‘copy and paste’ his enthusiasm onto Onn Hafiz, says Fahmi

BATU PAHAT: Pakatan Harapan has urged Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi to emulate former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s election campaign spirit by accepting a proposal to debate PH’s Puteri Wangsa candidate Maszlee Malik.

PH communications director Fahmi Fadzil said Onn Hafiz could take a cue from Khairy, who had alleged yesterday that PH copied Barisan Nasional’s manifesto, a claim which Fahmi rejected.

“I see Khairy campaigning with more enthusiasm than Onn Hafiz. In fact, Khairy may even be ready to debate Maszlee.

“It would be good if Onn Hafiz had Khairy’s capability and credibility. He should ‘copy and paste’ Khairy’s enthusiasm,” he told reporters after attending an event here.

On June 23, Maszlee accepted a challenge issued by Facebook page WOW Malaysia to debate Onn Hafiz ahead of the July 11 state election.

However, Johor BN chairman Onn Hafiz turned down the challenge, stating that it was not the “Johor way” to engage in verbal sparring or hold open debates.

Onn Hafiz will defend the Machap seat at the polls.

Yesterday, Khairy alleged that PH’s newly launched manifesto copied BN’s manifesto which was launched last week, saying the coalition lacked fresh ideas and had merely repackaged policies introduced by Onn Hafiz.

Can’t take voters for granted

On former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s claim that non-Malay voters could no longer be regarded as DAP’s “fixed deposit”, Fahmi said no political party could take any group of voters for granted.

He said Umno itself could no longer regard Malay votes as a “fixed deposit”, citing former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi’s support for PH as an example.

“I have never believed that any vote is guaranteed. Previously, many assumed Puad would vote for Umno-BN, but today, that has clearly been proven otherwise.

“Perhaps those in Johor Umno who believed they had a ‘fixed deposit’ of votes should realise that Puad’s statement proves those votes are no longer guaranteed for Johor Umno,” he said.

Fahmi also rejected claims by former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming that PH had delayed the launch of its manifesto, saying it was unveiled at the right time.

“For PH, we chose the right time to announce the manifesto after it had been finalised and received the approval of the top leadership, including the prime minister. I believe it was launched at exactly the right time.

“We have already introduced our candidates, and now both sides can present their respective manifestos,” he said.