PAS never pushed for concerts to be cancelled while in govt, says KJ

 

Khairy Jamaluddin also described Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a more effective ‘storyteller’ than Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS never aggressively pushed for concerts to be cancelled when it was in the government, says former minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy, who was a minister under the administrations led by Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said despite the Islamic party previously objecting to concerts, it only touched on the matter once when in government.

This was after the government decided to revitalise and reopen the economy following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“(Even then) it was almost a very timid intervention by Ustaz Idris Ahmad,” Khairy recalled, referring to the then religious minister.

He was speaking at a forum titled “Politics 101: Politics, Policies & Personal Journeys with Khairy Jamaluddin” here tonight.

The former Rembau MP said this when asked about his working relationship with PAS.

Khairy said Idris only asked if it was possible for the number of concerts to be reduced.

“I was like, ‘Wow!’ I expected him to say no more concerts or things like that!”

Mahathir better storyteller than Anwar

Separately, Khairy said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was a more effective “storyteller” when compared with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir would explain something in simple terms and would repeat himself, Khairy said, adding that was the genius of Mahathir as a political communicator.

Anwar, on the other hand, was able to “elevate the rhetoric to levels of stratospheric heights with words that people don’t understand”.

“And that’s also a weakness, because at the end of the day, if the public does not understand you, then what’s the point?

“Anwar is one of the top orators, not just of his generation, but of all generations.

“But, in terms of the effectiveness of storytelling, Mahathir has that in excess.” - FMT