Khairy takes on PKR for Rembau

The prime minister’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, made his electoral debut today arriving at the nomination centre for the Rembau parliamentary seat at 9am sharp to file for his candidacy.

The 32-year-old Umno Youth deputy chief, who is said to be aspiring for his father-in-law’s post in the future, was accompanied by some 1,000 supporters and his wife Nori Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He will take on PKR’s Badrul Hishamshaharin (pix, below right) in a straight fight for the seat.

In a show of strength, Khairy and other local BN leaders, among them Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan, marched with their supporters to the Rembau District Hall - the nomination centre - after gathering some 500 metres away.

There was a festive mood as the supporters and candidate joined hands and sang party songs while bearing flags of the various BN component parties.

Their affair toned down, however, when they reached the entrance of the nomination centre where they were promptly greeted by 300 opposition supporters who heartily jeered them.

Police had preemptively cordoned off the area and ensured that supporters of both camps did not come into close quarters with one another.

While some of the opposition supporters were seen clad in polls reform group Bersih’s yellow T-shirts, the rest added to the colour of the day with their various everyday wear. This was in contrast to BN supporters who were handsomely provided with uniform T-shirts, vests and caps.

A flag-waving competition started at one juncture with supporters from both sides merrily waving to and fro their party flags of green, white, red and light and dark blue.

PKR and PAS supporters kept chanting ‘BN is corrupt! Oust them for real change!’ and rather remarkably kept this up until the nomination process was over - a total time of about three hours.

BN supporters would once in a while rouse themselves and hurl back a chant of their own but generally were content to stand silently and watch their rivals issue anti-BN slogans tirelessly.

As noon approached and the announcement made by the returning officer that both Khairy's (pix, right) and Badrul's nomination papers had been accepted, the supporters from both camps began to disperse with a satisfied and optimistic look on their faces.