HULU SELANGOR, April 18 — Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today replied to critics attacking his character, saying he had already made peace with God for his past mistakes and did not regret his actions that included drinking alcohol.

The PKR candidate for the four-cornered Hulu Selangor by-election has been on the back-foot to defend himself since nomination day yesterday.

“I have admitted it. That’s the thing with me — I am a straightforward person. If I made a mistake, I will admit to it. I will apologise for it if I need to,” he told reporters after walkabout in Kerling here this evening.

The ex-Umno man yesterday admitted to having consumed alcohol in the past, confirming accusations thrown his way by his former party colleagues.

“I admitted to is so what is the problem? If I did not admit, then maybe it is a different story because then people will say that I lied. So I always prefer to be straightforward,” he said.

The former de-facto law minister said that he was not worried about the Barisan Nasional’s campaign to demonise his character as an un-Islamic person, and invited his former colleagues to continue with their “exposé”.

“We will wait for their exposés... maybe there will be pictures or something. I have also forgotten (many things), now I am old already. When you are young, what do you know? But this is my life — I have no regrets. If I am wrong, then I am wrong and I will apologise,” he said.

Zaid said he had already “repented” for his sins and had admitted as much that he did.

“How I repent is between me and God,” he said.

He said that for now, he just wanted to move on with his political struggles, which is to help the people around him, and BN’s ploys would not crush his spirit or willpower.

“I will not resort to name-calling myself. I know it is not good. I know about them too, my old friends in Umno with their vices... women and their riches but I will not expose them.

“I am of a better pedigree than them,” Zaid said.

He noted that he was willing to accept the “punishment” from the exposés by the BN and said that he did not know if it would affect his chances in the by-election.

“Time will tell. But I believe that the Muslim voters here are not like those in Umno. They will know better I think,” he said.

He said it was up to the BN to continue its attacks on him, and it mattered little if it went on for the entire stretch of the campaign period.

“It is not like I do not remember what I have done. We shall wait. I have already told my family and my friends... it is better just to accept it,” he added.