KUALA KUBU BARU, MALAYSIA - PKR candidate Datuk Zaid Ibrahim says he owns horses for a hobby and is proud of it.

Zaid refuted insinuations that he is a gambler.

He said he purchased racehorses for sport, and not for gambling purposes.

Zaid also alleged that many politicians from Barisan parties were gamblers. "You can find their names on casino machines, but not mine," he said.

He said this when asked to comment on allegations that his horse named Kelantan had won $450,000 (RM1.7mil) Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association Trophy in 2006.

When shown the related article published on a website, Zaid asked: "So what's wrong with it?"

A check on the Australian Thoroughbred sales site showed that Zaid had purchased three New Zealand horses worth AU$46,000 (RM137,000) last year.

A check on BloodHorse.com showed Zaid purchased another horse costing NZD7,847 (RM17,800) last year.

Zaid said he did not see owning racehorse as an issue as many Muslims around the world owned horses.

"To say that I own horses and therefore I am a gambling guy is sheer slander," he said at the PKR daily press conference here yesterday.

Asked if he would take action against the bloggers who had uploaded superimposed photographs of him holding a liquor bottle, Zaid said he did not want to waste time doing it.

Asked about his chances in the Hulu Selangor by-election now that two independent candidates had pulled out, Zaid said it would still be tough.

Zaid said although he is up against Barisan's P. Kamalanathan, his real opponents were Umno, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Asked about former Hulu Selangor PKR treasurer Dr Halili Rahmat's decision to join Umno, he said the development would not have any impact on his chances.

Party adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also said that Dr Halili's decision would not cause any problem to Zaid. Dr Halili, he said, must have his own reasons for quitting.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said Dr Halili's quitting was no great loss to PKR as there were still many good people in Pakatan Rakyat.