KUALA LUMPUR – A video showing a distraught Umno supreme council member Tan Sri Noh Omar has made its rounds on social media today, following rumours that his party will drop him as a candidate for the 15th general election (GE15).
The one-minute footage, which was shared on numerous profiles on Facebook and Twitter, shows a visibly upset Noh being hugged and consoled by his supporters as he left a building which appeared to be a party operations centre.
The video came a day after Noh was rumoured to be one of the big names from Umno who will be axed from the polls, amid speculation that party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was looking to consolidate his leadership and become prime minister if Barisan Nasional (BN) wins the election.
While being comforted in the video, a supporter was heard proclaiming his loyalty to Noh, who is also Selangor BN Chairman.
“If you Tan Sri are not up there, we will move. We will even remove the (party) flags,” a supporter is heard telling Noh, who is heard sniffling in the video.
“Tan Sri is not only defending (his constituency) in Tanjung Karang, but fighting to retake Selangor. Without Tan Sri (Noh), I don’t see that happening.”
The rumours may have come as a shock for Noh, who was in July told by Zahid that he would be leading the charge for BN to wrest Selangor from Pakatan Harapan.
At the BN candidate announcement tonight, Zahid skipped Tanjung Karang, leaving Noh Omar's fate still in doubt.
Apart from Noh, incumbent Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman is reportedly being given the boot, with speculation that this will be the fate for those aligned with vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The same goes for incumbent Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who has been a vocal supporter of Ismail Sabri and Umno’s Muafakat Nasional pact with PAS.
Party insiders said other senior politicians who will not make the cut are incumbent Tenggara MP Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and incumbent Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique, among others.
Yesterday, sources told The Vibes that others said to be on the chop list are Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Arau), Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin (Padang Besar), Datuk Seri Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif (Jempol), and Datuk Seri Ismail Abdul Muttalib (Maran).
On Facebook, Shahidan appeared to have confirmed the rumours that he was being dropped as a candidate with a cryptic message indicating that his operation centres in Arau were closed.
The sources also said that Umno’s candidate list could go through further changes prior to nomination day this Saturday.
Ismail Sabri, the Bera incumbent and an Umno vice-president, had been under immense pressure from the party and Zahid to dissolve Parliament and hold early elections this year. He dissolved Parliament on October 10. Polling will now be held on November 19. – The Vibes, November 1, 2022
