KERDAU, March 4 — Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim showed his class in the face of Ummi Hafilda Ali’s attacks during concurrent talks in Rumpun Makmur here last night.
The two speakers locked horns in a battle for votes across a distance of less than 20m as campaigning ramps up ahead of polling this weekend.
Ignoring personal attacks that at times bordered on shrill, Anwar focused on driving home Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) message of change to the rapt crowd of over 700 Felda and Felcra settlers.
The PKR de facto leader was in form as he spoke of alleged Umno corruption and cronyism, weaving in references to the decades-long abuse of power that ignited popular revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. He also touched briefly on the economic strategy outlined in PR’s Orange Book and repeated his promise to lower petrol prices after taking Putrajaya to cheers from the audience.
But Anwar did at times hit back at Ummi Hafilda in light-hearted fashion when her repeated insults and calls to repent, amplified by four-foot tall speakers, threatened to disrupt his talk.
“We only trouble ourselves when we pay heed to crazies,” he joked when a barb from Ummi Hafilda drew jeers from PR supporters.
“If we give her attention, her fee will only go up.”
Ummi Hafilda, on the other hand, barely paused for breath during her 80-minute verbal barrage which began even before Anwar arrived on scene.
She started by recounting a laundry list of Anwar’s “sins” and the trials she faced for trying to expose the then-deputy prime minister’s alleged misdoings.
But her coherent account quickly descended into a pastiche of Umno staples — the prospect of DAP rule and the “Allah” issue — once Anwar made his appearance.
It became clear that Ummi Hafilda was more keen on sabotaging Anwar’s talk than making her case when she began pausing often to listen to what he was saying so she could tailor retorts.
Despite this, PR and Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters separated by a steady stream of slow-moving traffic remained calm throughout.
The two sides seemed more interested in their respective speakers, although those caught in the middle had no choice but to endure a discordant mish-mash of both talks.
Ummi Hafilda wrapped up minutes after Anwar left to attend another function at Felda Jengka 22.
BN appears to have spared no effort to ensure victory in Kerdau despite the sluggish PAS machinery here.
The enlistment of Ummi Hafilda and former Anwar aide Rahimi Osman to discredit the charismatic opposition leader suggests BN is not content to rely on its superior funding and machinery.
Ummi Hafilda, a key witness from his first sodomy trial, disappeared from the public eye following Anwar’s first sodomy trial but resurfaced recently after her brother Azmin won the PKR deputy presidency.
She has pledged not to stop until she brings down Anwar, whom she called the “anti-Christ”.
Rahimi, who claims he was forced by Anwar’s people to declare that the prime minister and his wife had masterminded Sodomy II, has also hit the campaign trail to refute Anwar’s “lies”.
BN continues its big gun Kerdau campaign today with another visit from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The two speakers locked horns in a battle for votes across a distance of less than 20m as campaigning ramps up ahead of polling this weekend.
Ignoring personal attacks that at times bordered on shrill, Anwar focused on driving home Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) message of change to the rapt crowd of over 700 Felda and Felcra settlers.
Just a stone throw away from Anwar, Ummi Hafilda speaks to her BN crowd. — Picture by Choo Choy May
But Anwar did at times hit back at Ummi Hafilda in light-hearted fashion when her repeated insults and calls to repent, amplified by four-foot tall speakers, threatened to disrupt his talk.
“We only trouble ourselves when we pay heed to crazies,” he joked when a barb from Ummi Hafilda drew jeers from PR supporters.
“If we give her attention, her fee will only go up.”
Ummi Hafilda, on the other hand, barely paused for breath during her 80-minute verbal barrage which began even before Anwar arrived on scene.
She started by recounting a laundry list of Anwar’s “sins” and the trials she faced for trying to expose the then-deputy prime minister’s alleged misdoings.But her coherent account quickly descended into a pastiche of Umno staples — the prospect of DAP rule and the “Allah” issue — once Anwar made his appearance.
It became clear that Ummi Hafilda was more keen on sabotaging Anwar’s talk than making her case when she began pausing often to listen to what he was saying so she could tailor retorts.
Despite this, PR and Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters separated by a steady stream of slow-moving traffic remained calm throughout.
The two sides seemed more interested in their respective speakers, although those caught in the middle had no choice but to endure a discordant mish-mash of both talks.
Ummi Hafilda wrapped up minutes after Anwar left to attend another function at Felda Jengka 22.
BN appears to have spared no effort to ensure victory in Kerdau despite the sluggish PAS machinery here.
The enlistment of Ummi Hafilda and former Anwar aide Rahimi Osman to discredit the charismatic opposition leader suggests BN is not content to rely on its superior funding and machinery.
Ummi Hafilda, a key witness from his first sodomy trial, disappeared from the public eye following Anwar’s first sodomy trial but resurfaced recently after her brother Azmin won the PKR deputy presidency.
She has pledged not to stop until she brings down Anwar, whom she called the “anti-Christ”.
Rahimi, who claims he was forced by Anwar’s people to declare that the prime minister and his wife had masterminded Sodomy II, has also hit the campaign trail to refute Anwar’s “lies”.
BN continues its big gun Kerdau campaign today with another visit from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
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