KUALA KUBU BAHARU – Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate for the by-election here, Khairul Azhari Saut, has legitimate educational qualifications, the coalition’s Selangor chief Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said.
Defending the candidate, whose diploma and degree have been questioned on social media, Azmin said it was normal for someone like Khairul, 54, to take executive courses which are shorter courses for working professionals.
“Whether the courses he took are recognised by the Higher Education Ministry or not, does not arise for any of the students who have taken such courses,” he told reporters after Khairul filed his nomination papers, here today.
“For students who already have working experience, they take executive courses which are shorter so that they can be focused on certain areas,” added Azmin, who is also Selangor PN’s elections director.
Khairul, who is Hulu Selangor acting division chief, holds an executive diploma in management from Universiti Malaya, and an executive Masters in business administration from Universiti Malaysia Pahang.
These qualifications have been questioned by netizens after he was announced by PN as its candidate and his biodata was shared with the public two nights ago.
Among questions raised was how Khairul could have completed a Master’s degree in 2021 after only just completing his executive diploma in 2019.
Also raised was how he could be a managing director at an oil and gas company with only a diploma and likewise, a finance executive at Bursa Malaysia.
Khairul refused to entertain questions on his qualifications when asked by reporters today.
“I don’t wish to comment, I only want to focus on campaigning in a fair manner. To all voters here, I hope for your support, don’t bother with what the other side says, what’s important is that we bring change to Kuala Kubu Baharu,” he said.
His main contender in the by-election on May 11 is the unity government candidate from DAP, Pang Sock Tao.
The 31-year-old, who is press secretary to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, is an honours graduate in electrical and electronics engineering from Universiti Tenaga Nasional.
Two other contenders making it a four-cornered fight in Kuala Kubu Baharu are Hafizah Zainuddin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia and independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin. – April 27, 2024