Wanita UMNO Wants Its Member To Fielded As Candidate In Mahkota Polls

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Wanita UMNO has demanded the candidate to be fielded representing the Unity Government in the Mahkota state by-election in Johor next month, to be selected among its members.

Wanita UMNO chief Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said it is only right that a woman from among UMNO members be named as the candidate for the seat to replace and continue the legacy of Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain who won the seat at the state election in March 2022.

“It wasn’t easy for UMNO to win the seat in the last state election, there was a four-cornered fight, and our woman candidate won with a 5,166-vote majority. What else should we prove?” she said when winding up the debate at the Wanita UMNO General Assembly here today.

The Mahkota state seat fell vacant following the death of Sharifah Azizah on Aug 2. She was 63.

The Election Commission has set the polling for the Mahkota polls on Sept 28, with the nomination on Sept 14 and early voting on Sept 24.

In the state election, Sharifah Azizah, who was also Kluang Wanita UMNO chief, triumphed over the three other candidates, namely Muhammad Tagiuddin Cheman of Pakatan Harapan, Mohamad Nor Lingan (Perikatan Nasional) and Mohamed Noor Suleiman (Warisan).

In an interview with Bernama, Noraini, who is also Wanita Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said that her team has listed several names, all of whom are locals, to be considered by the leadership to be the candidate for the by-election.

She also expressed confidence in the capabilities of women candidates, citing the track record in three state assembly seats in Johor— Pulai Sebatang, Tenang and Mahkota — where all the women candidates successfully reclaimed those seats.

Noraini also assured that the Wanita machinery would work hard to ensure the party’s victory if one of the candidates proposed by the wing is chosen.

“The strength of women, when they work, is that they go down to the ground and perform as best as they can. If the trust is given to us, we want to do our best. This is what we hope the party leadership will consider from Wanita UMNO,” she said.

She also aims to ensure that the spirit of the machinery in the by-election for the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan, which achieved a significant victory for BN, is reflected in the by-election for the Mahkota seat.

UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, in his winding up speech, suggested that the UMNO Youth chief of Kluang, Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, be considered by the leadership to be the BN's candidate for the Mahkota polls.

“But we are big-hearted; if Syed Hussien is not nominated, we (still) need to win for our beloved party. I request that this proposal be brought to the Supreme Council meeting (tonight). We guarantee that our candidate is one who serves,” he said, to cheers from the delegates.

-- BERNAMA