Umno nominations in full swing: Mukhriz & Hishamuddin first to qualify

Reports from Malaysiakini

Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir became the first to qualify for election as Youth chief when he collected 39 nominations leaving his rival, incumbent Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, trailing behind with 20 nominations.

Two other contenders, former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo won 11 nominations, while Perlis Umno liaison deputy president Zahidi Zainul Abidin one (1).

In the race for the No 1 party post, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has received 24 nominations.

International Trade and Industry Minister and front-runner for the No 2 post, Muhyiddin Yassin, has obtained 21 nominations.

Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam has three (3) nominations, while Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib has 2.

Pulai division head Nur Jazlan Muhamed has not received any nominations yet. Neither has Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who offered himself for the No 1 post.

To qualify for election due to be held at the Umno annual general assembly next March, candidates for the No 1 party post need to secure a minimum of 58 nominations, while aspirants for the No 2 post need to have at least 38 nominations.

So far, 11 candidates have received nominations in the race for the Vice-President post. Thirteen 13 aspirants have expressed interest for the party’s third most powerful position.

Outgoing Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein received 23 nominations - making him the first to qualify to contest the post.

Former Youth chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who dropped out of the race for deputy president post, has the second highest nominations at 12.

Sabah Umno deputy chief Shafie Apdal, who suffered an early setback when Kimanis division in his home state did not select him, rebounded with 11 nominations.

Minister of Higher Education Khalid Nordin is next with eight nominations, followed by Home Ministeri Syed Hamid Albar with six, while Foreign Minister Rais Yatim collected five nominations.

Former chief ministers - Mohd Isa Abdul Samad of Negeri Sembilan has four nominations while Shahidan Kassim of Perlis booked three.

Former Minister of Science Technology and Innovation Jamaludin Jarjis and Negeri Sembilan state liasion chief Mohamad Hassan have two nominations each, while Kelantan liaison committee head Annuar Musa has one nomination.

To qualify for election, candidates for the vice presidency need to have at least 19 nominations.

Here’s the full list as of 8pm.


Click the above for an enlarged view.

The Kris-wielding issue: a contributing factor for BN poor performance - Khairy

Update: The Keris not main factor for reduced in support - Hishammuddin

Earlier story:
Umno deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin admitted that the issue of "keris-wielding" was among the factors why Umno and Barisan Nasional(BN) lost support among the voters in the March 8 polls.

However, he dismiseed the notion that it was the MAIN factor why voters, especially the non-Malays, didn’t support the BN candidates.

“We need to study and analyse the issue with an open mind," said Khairy, who is also the MP for Rembau.

He was speaking to reporters at a "retreat" for Barisan Nasional Members at a local hotel here yesterday.

Malaysiakini has the story:

Naib ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin hari ini mengakui bahawa isu keris menjadi satu daripada beberapa punca sokongan kepada BN merosot dalam pilihanraya umum 8 Mac.

Beliau bagaimanapun menolak tanggapan bahawa isu keris menjadi punca utama pengundi, khususnya bukan Melayu, tidak menyokong ramai calon BN dalam pilihanraya umum tersebut.

"Kita perlu mengkaji dan berfikir untuk melihat isu keris ini secara terbuka," kata Khairy, yang juga ahli parlimen Rembau. Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemui media di "retreat" ahli-ahli parlimen BN di sebuah hotel terkemuka di Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Kelmarin dua akhbar bawah Kumpulan NSTP, yang dikaitkan dengan Khairy,Berita Harian dan New Straits Times menyalahkan ketua Pemuda Umno Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein kerana menghunus keris 'Panca Warisan' selama tiga tahun berturut-turut mulai 2005.

Bagaimanapun, kata Khairy, beliau tidak pasti sama ada isu keris tersebut akan di bawa ke perhimpunan agung Pemuda Umno hujung tahun ini.

"Saya juga tidak tahu sama ada isu keris ini akan dibangkitkan dalam mesyuarat exco pergerakan Pemuda Umno," tambah Khairy.

Beliau berkata, pada keseluruhannya, isu keris merupakan salah satu punca sokongan kepada BN berkurangan dalam pilihanraya umum ke-12.

"Kita perlu kenal pasti sebab-sebab timbul isu keris," tambahnya.

Isu keris menjadi polemik besar selepas Astro membuat siaran langsung perhimpunan agung Umno pada 2006 sewaktu 'Panca Warisan' diarak masuk ke dewan dan kemudiannya dihunus dan dikucup oleh Hishammuddin. click here for more...

(Now see what happens when you play around with the keris? Padan muka - keris sudah makan diri sendiri. It's a bitter lesson to be learnt. Let's hope keris-wielding Hisham wont do the honour this time around if he knows what's good for the movement.)

Mukhriz makes sudden u-turn - Pak Lah

Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has made a ‘sudden reversal’ on his earlier stand regarding his leadership, said Datuk Abdullah Badawi.

The Prime Minister and Umno President was commenting on the letter sent by Mukhriz, who is Umno Youth Exco member, asking on the him to step down in the wake of Barisan Nasional’s poor performance in the March 8 polls.

"One day before he sent me the letter, he issued a statement saying he supports and he understands what happened was a ‘collective responsibility’ and other statements (were made by him) which appeared to be positive statements about me.

"Suddenly he changes ... just one day later, he sends a letter not only to me, but to (deputy premier) Najib (Abdul Razak) and the whole country," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

"To me, this is not the right approach. This is a reaction from him as a member of Umno Youth which has already decided to support me and the party leadership.

Abdullah said that he will leave it to Umno Youth and its chief Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein to act on the matter.

Meanwhile, Hishamuddin said the letter did not reflect the movement’s stand adding that Umno Youth is still committed to its earlier pledge to support Abdullah and Najib.

"If the call on the prime minister was made in his personal capacity, then I personally feel that the manner in which it was done and the timing are inappropriate, " he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

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