MUAR: Johor Umno is leaving it to the divisions to decide who they want to nominate for the party polls in March now that many leaders are offering themselves as candidates.
State liaison committee chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said they would not take sides and “will leave it to the divisional delegates to nominate candidates of their choice,”
Abdul Ghani, who is Johor Mentri Besar, hoped that the delegates would uphold party ethics during the meetings to be held over a month from Thursday.
So far, supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department) and vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam (Malacca Chief Minister) have announced their intention to contest the deputy presidency.
Vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (International Trade and Industry Minister) and Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib (Rural and Regional Development Minister) are expected to announce their intentions after Oct 9 when Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi makes his decision whether to seek re-election.
Johor Umno information chief Dr Puad Zarkasi urged leaders not to use the contest as a game although they had the right to contest for all party posts.
He said it would be a joke if leaders offered themselves just because they were proxies of certain leaders or because they thought they were good leaders.
“They should not only think about Umno, but the rakyat as he who holds the post will also be responsible for the people and nation,” he said at Abdul Ghani’s Hari Raya open house here yesterday.
Dr Puad said the combination of deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Muhyiddin should be supported as both leaders had leadership capabilities, ideas, charisma and political determination to strengthen the party.
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