Thursday 9 October 2008

Heat is on in the race for Umno No 2 post ...

Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib is the latest candidate joining the already overcrowded race for Umno No 2 post.

Those who have already offered themselves as candidates are former Umno Youth Chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam ( read here ) and Pulai MP Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

Ahmad Zahid was the first to announce a bid for the post of Deputy President and he was quickly followed by Ali and Nur Jazlan.

However, Zahid has since been reported as saying that he is willing to drop out of the race. (Confirmed by Bernama - Ahmad Zahid Changes Mind & Will Go For Only VP Post here)

Ahmad Zahid is a Supreme Council member and Ali is one of the party’s three vice-presidents.

Mat Taib, is a Council member by virtue of being Umno Information Chief, and was appointed to the post by the party president, Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, who announced yesterday he will not defend his post and will step down as premier next March, clearing the way for Najib to move up and leaving the No 2 post open to contest.

Nurjazlan is Pulai Umno division chief but he is not a council member.

Vice-president and International Trade Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, said to be a favourite contender for the post, is expected to announce his candidancy tomorrow.

Mat Taib to go for Umno No 2 post
Oct 9, 08 2:36pm

Umno Information Chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib today offered himself as a candidate for the deputy presidency of Umno, setting the stage for a heated and crowded contest.

The Umno stalwart is the fourth prominent Umno leader to join the chase after former Youth chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, vice president Mohd Ali Rustam and Pulai division head Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

Another heavyweight, vice president and International Trade and Finance Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is widely expected to announce his candidacy tomorrow.

Muhd Muhd Taib, a former Selangor Chief Minister is regarded by party insiders to be a staunch loyalist of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah had yesterday announced he would not be defencing the Umno presidency, clearing the way for his deputy Najib Abdul Razak to move up the ladder and in turn leaving the No 2 Umno post open to contest.

By convention, the Umno president and deputy president respectively become the country's prime minister and deputy prime minister.

Delegates set to nominate

Party election for the top posts in the country's largest political are due to be held next March, but division meeting to nominate candidates officially begin today.

The Umno veteran, who joined the party in 1964 and was elected as vice president and Selangor deputy state liaison committee head in 2004.

He resigned as Selangor Chief Minister in 1997 after being charged in Australia for holding currency worth RM 3.8 million.

He was found not gulity and appointed a senator in 2006 by Abdullah.

Other Umno leaders that party watchers speculated might join the No 2 bandwagon include vice president Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and Foreign Minister Rais Yatim. - Malaysiakini

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like Umno is in desperate need of great & inspiring leaders looking at the candidates who have so far offered themselves to run for the party's No.2 post.

Anonymous said...

Diharapkan ahli2 Umno akan memilih calon yang berwibawa untuk jawatan timbalan presiden.

Pada pendapat saya, calon2 yang telah menawarkan diri sehingga ini (Ali Rustam, Mat Taib, Nurjazlan, tidak sesuai untul mengisi jawatan tersebut.

Anonymous said...

These jokers contesting for the 2nd highest post in the party, especially that "I cant speak England" former S'gor MB.

A shameless lot!

Not only is the son of Muhammad corrupt, dishonest and a cheat, he also eloped with the daughter of a sultan.

How to trust him to run the country?

So immoral and think he is fit to be a deputy PM.

Go look at yourself in the mirror firstlah.

The same goes for the other contenders.

Tak tau malu ke?

Anonymous said...

Huru hara kalau ahli2 Umno pilih mat tyson sebagai orang nombor dua dalam parti.

Anonymous said...

a reader of malaysiakini, Cetepe,
said:

"The country's future must come first before individual interests. Let's hope all politicians will soul-search themselves before any contemplation. Let the most capable man helm, not because one is there by default."

Couldnt agree more.