UMNO could well be staring at an internal friction ahead of its naming of candidates for the 15th General Election (GE15) tonight given as many of four bigwigs-cum-ministers who are vocal of party president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are very likely to be dropped from its candidate list.
This comes as the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Bagan Datuk MP tightens his grip on non-loyalists which can be likened to what PKR did over the weekend by dropping three top guns who are perceived to be close to the party’s former deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
The trio were MP for Petaling Jaya Maria Chin Abdullah, Sungai Buloh MP R. Sivarasa and incumbent Gopeng MP and former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
Four-term Arau MP and caretaker Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is being rumoured as one of those who would be dropped.
“Tonight is a very sad night. All BN movement rooms of Arau Parliament have been closed and the flag has been lowered,” he penned in his latest Facebook post.
Following Shahidan’s footstep could well be Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa who hinted that rumours were rife that few potential winners have been axed, especially those who are aligned to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“It seems that although the (party) constitution clearly spells out the scope and method of candidate selection, once again this has been ignored,” his Facebook posting read.
“It was also promised that the Top Five would be given the authority to negotiate on behalf of the supreme council (which has the power to choose them) but the Top Five members confirmed that the list was filtered again by ‘higher ups’. The process is running.”
The Ketereh MP added: “The promise has been that WALI (winnable, acceptable and likeable) candidates will be selected, but rumours abound that many ‘winners’ have already been axed, especially those close to the PM … But these are rumours (which are not necessarily unfounded).”
Over in Johor, incumbent Tenggara MP and caretaker Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba is also expected to be dealt a similar fate as Shahidan and Annuar.
“The news that his name is not on the Johor Barisan candidates list came rather late, considering he is also Johor UMNO information chief,” a source told The Star, noting that the party is likely to field its Tenggara division youth chief Manndzri Nasib for that seat.
Speculation about Dr Adham being dropped intensified recently after he did not attend two programmes in the constituency on Monday (Oct 31) morning.
Aside from Dr Adham, the other minister from Johor who will not be contesting in GE15 is caretaker National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique who is also the incumbent Kota Tinggi MP.
It has been reported on Oct 22 that Halimah who is from the same division as Dr Adham will make way for UMNO vice president Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Elsewhere, Padang Besar MP and Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin may also be axed from the UMNO line-up although he has reportedly expressed his desire to defend the seat.
“I want to defend the seat but recently there were rumours that people from Kuala Lumpur are coming to contest in Padang Besar. But the UMNO divisional committee is against fielding a parachute candidate,” he was cited as saying by national news agency Bernama. – Nov 1, 2022
