CARETAKER Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali had his election campaign boosted when former finance minister Daim Zainuddin made a surprise appearance at Azmin’s event last night.

Daim, a close ally of Pakatan Harapan chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad since their days together in the federal government, is among a handful of former government strongmen who have been showing support for the opposition in the 14th general election.

Daim spent about 35 to 40 minutes at a ceramah and meet-the-people session Azmin was holding with around 350 villagers in Telok Gong in Pelabuhan Klang, a Barisan Nasional stronghold.

Photos of the two men walking side by side have been posted to Azmin’s Facebook page.

An aide to the PKR deputy president said Daim’s visit was unexpected.

“He did not give any speech,” the aide said.

Azmin is contesting in the Gombak parliamentary seat and the Bukit Antarabangsa state seat. He is the incumbent in both places.

Daim previously said he would help PH as an adviser if the opposition coalition formed the next government.

The reclusive banker-turned-politician has been less vocal than others, such as Umno stalwarts Rafidah Aziz and Rais Yatim, but his support for PH hints at a divide within the ruling party over caretaker prime minister Najib Razak’s government. – May 1, 2018.