KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he will not be influenced by the actions of Umno members who go against him when selecting candidates for the coming general election, insisting he is not a vindictive person.
He said the recent state elections in Melaka and Johor are evidence of this, noting how several of his detractors were still picked to contest in the polls then.
However, the Bagan Datuk MP reminded his critics that their actions will never be forgotten.
“I am not a person who takes vindictive actions,” he said in a press conference after attending the Puteri BN Convention here today.
“In the previous Melaka election, there were several individuals who wrote and said things that were below the belt, but were still picked as candidates. The same happened in Johor.
“So, I am not a revengeful person. (However), I may always be very forgiving, but will never forget.”
Zahid, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, was asked if Umno members, including seat incumbents, will be dropped as candidates in the coming general election for not towing his line.
While no names were mentioned, several members aligned to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob are known to be among Zahid’s staunch critics.
The most notable one is Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, who in a tell-all press conference last month lambasted his party president on several matters, while also urging the latter to step down from the top post.
Commenting further on potential candidacies for the upcoming federal polls, Zahid also all but affirmed his position that former members who had defected from the party after the 2018 general election will never be allowed to recontest.
“Kirim salam (send my regards) and many apologies,” he said.
Zahid instead said Umno and BN will take a similar approach to the Melaka and Johor elections by placing more new faces, a formula that he noted had paid off when the coalition won over a two-thirds majority in both states.
Asked how many fresh candidates can be expected this time, he merely replied: “Our template will be based on Melaka and Johor, which is the best template.”
For the record, 87% of BN candidates in Melaka were new faces, while the figure in Johor was 73%.
Zahid said the actual number for the coming general election will be determined in due time after deliberating the matter with leaders of other component parties. – The Vibes, July 31, 2022
