PETALING JAYA: Sungai Buloh election candidate Khairy Jamaluddin has dared his Pakatan Harapan rival, R Ramanan, to make clear accusations instead of hiding behind questions about past allegations raised when Khairy was the youth and sports minister. 

Saying that he had explained himself many times, Khairy said if Ramanan was not satisfied, he should make a “proper accusation” so that Khairy could take him to court.

He shouldn’t hide behind questions if he was truly ready to be sued. “But he doesn’t want to make a proper accusation. I dare him to do it, there has not been a single piece of evidence (against me),” Khairy told reporters at a campaign event.

“I have answered (the allegations) many times, yesterday, in Parliament, and before the Public Accounts Committee,” he said.

Khairy, who is contesting on a Barisan Nasional ticket, claimed that Ramanan was just “repeating and recycling” the allegations to tarnish his (Khairy’s) credibility.

“If he’s ready to be sued (as he claimed), then don’t ask me to explain myself again. Make a proper accusation. I’ll see you in court,” said Khairy.

Ramanan had raised questions about a purchase of shares from financial group ECM Libra, and claims that the Umno Rembau division, which Khairy headed, had received contributions of between RM50,000 and RM200,000 from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB).

In 2006, it was reported that Khairy purchased 13 million shares from ECM Libra for 71 sen per share. The shares were reportedly worth RM9.2 million, or 3% of the boutique investment banking group. This led to claims that he became a millionaire overnight.

Khairy, however, explained that he merely took a loan from ECM Libra who then sold the shares to him.

In June, Khairy denied receiving funds from UKSB, a company implicated in the corruption trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ramanan went on to accuse Khairy of “hiding in cyberspace”.