PM decision shows Umno united
Published on: Saturday, April 16, 2022
By: Bernama
Kuala Lumpur: Umno said it will be fielding Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate for the coming 15th general election (GE15), despite President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying otherwise last month.Umno Sec-Gen Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan in a statement said that the Umno Supreme Council made the decision unanimously.ADVERTISEMENT
“Umno Supreme Council has unanimously suggested that Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be the Prime Ministerial candidate for the upcoming General Election (GE15),” he said.
Ahmad Maslan personally handed out the statement to the media during Umno’s breaking of fast event at the World Trade Centre Friday.
Last month, Ahmad Zahid stated that the party will not reveal any Prime Ministerial candidate as part of the campaign going towards general election after the recent Johor Mentri Besar fiasco.
He said that the reason was because the final decision rests with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.ADVERTISEMENT
On a separate note, Ahmad Maslan said that Umno will hold a special general assembly on May 14 to amend the party’s constitution regarding the timing of internal elections.
Last month, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that the party approved a motion to postpone the party election to six months after the general election (GE15).
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Mohamad, who is also the chairman of the party’s Management Committee, said with this, the issue which had been hotly debated within the party lately had been resolved, and urged Ahmad Maslan to immediately inform the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on the matter.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri, who is Vice President thanked his party for nominating him as the Prime Minister candidate.
Ismail Sabri said the decision made by MT Umno clearly showed that the party remained united.
“Although there are various parties (saying) there are groups and so on in Umno, Thursday’s decision clearly shows that what was said is not true because Umno continues to be strong, its solidarity is also strong. There is no camp in Umno,” he said. Ismail Sabri, however, said that he has no idea when GE15 will be held.
He also said he would abide by the decision made by the Supreme Council not to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability inked between the Federal Government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) when it expires on July 31.
On Sept 13, 2021, Ismail Sabri, on behalf of the government, inked the MoU with PH component party leaders, namely PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the then DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng, Amanah President Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) President Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
“It was decided that it (MoU) is only until July 31 and the MT agreed that it shall not be extended. If there are any changes, the MT will discuss again,” he said.
The MoU comprised six initiatives namely empowerment of Covid-19 plans, administrative transformation, parliamentary reforms, Malaysia Agreement MA63, judicial independence and the establishment of a steering committee.
On March 10, the MoU Consultative Committee member Anthony Loke was reported as saying that the opposition was willing to further extend the MoU after its expiry date on July 31.
Loke, who is the new DAP secretary-general, said the opposition had no issue extending the MoU, especially after the amendment to the Federal Constitution for the anti-party hopping bill, which is among the agenda agreed upon in the MoU, is passed.
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