Ikmal Hisham does not smoke, KJ backs ex-colleague over alleged vaping photo

SHAH ALAM - Former Umno youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has criticised the polarisation of politics over a photo of Tanah Merah MP Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz holding an object to his mouth in Parliament and accused of vaping.

He said it was a classic post-truth and it depended on which party those who made the assumptions supported.

Knowing Ikmal for 20 years, Khairy said the former was not a smoker.

“I have read comments on social media and they said he was vaping and he even came out with a statement saying that he does not smoke.

“People would say we are supporting the post-truth but I have known Ikmal for 20 years as we are both in the Umno youth exco and he doesn't smoke.

“He never smoked and I know he doesn’t smoke,” he said on the 'Keluar Sekejap' podcast.

He added that despite Ikmal denying he was vaping in the photo and was only holding a pen, he was still accused of being a liar.

“Hence, the point is not so much of Ikmal whether he was vaping or holding a pen, but it is our politics that has polarised to the point where simple things like these where there’s objective truth would be disputed.

“This is not a subjective question, it is an objective question whether it’s true or not.

“This is also a polarisation so I’m not sure what is the meaning of politics now where there’s an objective truth,” he said.

He said even the Dewan Rakyat Speaker said that the matter would be investigated and they will take a look at the closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) to see if Ikmal was actually vaping.

“Therefore, my advice to MPs is don't smoke a pen because you might be accused of vaping.

“The one who used to vape next to me was Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who admitted what he did,” he said.