PETALING JAYA: Khairul Azhari Saut should have made full disclosure when his academic qualifications were called into question, says Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

"They have been very evasive from the very beginning," the Selangor Mentri Besar said here on Sunday (April 28) after launching the Bumi Kita Festival and Selangor Earth Day 2024.

Amirudin said Khairul should have produced his certificate instead of just commenting on it after the issue was raised.

Federal Territories Umno information chief Gulam Muszaffar had previously disputed Khairul Azhari's qualifications.

In response, Khairul Azhari said he obtained his master's degree in Business Management from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA).

UMPSA chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Johari Mohamad later confirmed that Khairul Azhari received his master's degree at a convocation ceremony in 2021.

On another matter, Amirudin said that choosing a candidate based on the constituent demographic was the old-fashioned way of thinking.

He said although the majority of voters in the constituency were Malay, the late Lee Kee Hiong, the incumbent, had a proven track record.

"Lee was the representative for a long time. He even helped the local Malay community and the local historical association with programmes to promote KKB as a tourist destination," he said.

The KKB by-election sees a four-cornered fight between candidates from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and an Independent candidate.

Incumbent Lee Kee Hiong, 58, from DAP, passed away on March 21 from cancer.

Polling day is set for May 11 and early voting on May 7.