Penang Umno proposes youthful professional for Penanti

(The Star) BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang Umno has proposed a young professional to represent the party if Barisan Nasional chooses to contest the Penanti by-election on May 31.

Umno vice-president Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the proposed candidate, whom he declined to name, was a local Umno leader from Penanti.

Ahmad Zahid, who is 56, said the candidate was younger than him.

A party source said Ahmad Zahid, who is also Penang Umno chairman, was probably referring to Permatang Pauh division secretary Rohaizat Othman, 38, a lawyer.

Another possible candidate, said the source, was the division’s deputy chief Datuk Mohd Nasir Abdullah, a businessman.

Ahmad Zahid said the party would, however, abide by any decision that the Barisan supreme council made today on whether the coalition would contest or not.

If Barisan decides to contest, he said it would use its existing election machinery in Penang instead of tapping resources from other states.

“The local residents feel more comfortable if local leaders run the operations during a by-election,” he told reporters after presenting aid for the connection of water pipes to the houses of 15 Malaysian-Thai families in Kampung Teluk Wang, Penanti, here, yesterday.

Ahmad Zahid said apart from allowing Barisan leaders from other states to give talks, there would no longer be “foster fathers or foster families” overseeing Penanti.

Alternatively, if Barisan decides not to contest, it would ensure that PKR does not win the seat.

Asked whether the Barisan would support any independent candidate, he said:

“There are many ways for us to do it. We are politicians, right?”

Ahmad Zahid also said he had ironed out the discord among a few leaders in the Permatang Pauh Umno division when he chaired a state liaison committee meeting in Penang on May 14.

He stressed that he would monitor them using the key performance index system.