NS Umno warlords back return of ex-MB Isa
By Adib Zalkapli, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR: More than four years after his Umno membership was suspended for alleged involvement in vote buying, Tan Sri Isa Samad has now received the backing of Umno warlords in Negeri Sembilan to contest the Bagan Pinang state seat.
And if he gets the nod and wins the seat, Isa's supporters are likely to make a case for him to replace Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan as MB again.
The Malaysian Insider understands that at least five of the eight Umno divisions in the state are in favour of fielding the former mentri besar in the seat situated in the Teluk Kemang parliamentary constituency.
Isa is the Teluk Kemang Umno division chief.
“This is not about Tan Sri Isa making a comeback into politics, it is about winning the seat. It is an important by-election and he is the best candidate,” said Seremban Umno division chief Datuk Ishak Ismail.
Ishak was a three-term Lenggeng assemblyman but was dropped in the last general election, and he is said to be unable to work with the current Mentri Besar.
“He is only 60, Anwar was older than him when he contested Permatang Pauh last year,” Ishak told The Malaysian Insider.
Howver, he also dismissed the suggestion that the move to field Isa, who led the state government for 22 years, is an attempt to weaken Mohamad's leadership in the state government.
