KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has sarcastically rapped Umno MP Khairy Jamaluddin for likening his party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan to ‘pisang goreng’ or banana fritters.

In a Facebook post today, the veteran newsman said an educated man like Khairy should know that the snack is considered an iconic dish in the region and a "treat” in Asian diners globally — unlike Ahmad.

"This is what I am angry with. How can Khairy equate the thinking of Ahmad Maslan 3.85 with banana fritters?

"Therefore I think it is better for the Rembau MP to retract his statement comparing the standard of the Pontian MP with pisang goreng,” he said, referring to Ahmad’s 2015 remark that he had earned a 3.85 CGPA from his Master of Business Administration in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Khairy had in a press conference yesterday described those who called for elections during the pandemic as having a ‘pisang goreng’ mentality for being narrow-minded.

While Pakatan Harapan was ousted as the federal government in February last year, the younger and smaller Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia emerged the pre-eminent political force in the federal administration, relegating Umno to a supporting role that has chafed its leaders and members.

After a lull at the end of last year, Umno has again begun pushing for an early general election in the belief that the party could regain control of the federal government, which it lost in the 2018 general election.

The former media adviser to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad then added that it would have been better if Khairy had instead equated Ahmad’s thinking to a stale "pecal”.

Pecal is a traditional Javanese salad consisting of mixed vegetables in a peanut sauce dressing, likely Kadir’s dig at Ahmad’s ethnic roots.

"Pecal is delicious. But if it has gone stale, it is very disappointing to those who relished it and may cause diarrhea.

"Ahmad Maslan wants a general election to be held immediately regardless if there is Covid-19 or not,” he said.

Kadir was referring to Ahmad who had been quoted as saying that one of Umno’s disagreements with Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional was how the ruling government had continued with court cases against certain party leaders.