Zahid not Umno’s pick for PM, says Ahmad Maslan
Ahmad Maslan denied issuing any statement that Umno was to nominate Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as its prime minister candidate now that the letter has been acquitted.
PETALING JAYA: Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan has denied issuing a statement that the party will nominate its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as its candidate for prime minister in the 15th general election (GE15).
Ahmad said the fake statement started going viral on social media after the Shah Alam High Court acquitted Zahid of 40 corruption charges in the foreign visa system(VLN) case on Friday.
“It’s easy to find out whether the statement was from me or not. (Just) check all my social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok,” he said on Twitter.
“If it’s not there, it’s fake.”
The statement claimed that Umno’s Supreme Council would meet on Sept 30 to discuss a proposal to appoint Zahid as Barisan Nasional’s candidate for prime minister at GE15.
Umno previously proposed vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob as its candidate for prime minister ahead of GE15. Ismail is the current prime minister.
PETALING JAYA: Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan has denied issuing a statement that the party will nominate its president, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, as its candidate for prime minister in the 15th general election (GE15).
Ahmad said the fake statement started going viral on social media after the Shah Alam High Court acquitted Zahid of 40 corruption charges in the foreign visa system(VLN) case on Friday.
“It’s easy to find out whether the statement was from me or not. (Just) check all my social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok,” he said on Twitter.
“If it’s not there, it’s fake.”
The statement claimed that Umno’s Supreme Council would meet on Sept 30 to discuss a proposal to appoint Zahid as Barisan Nasional’s candidate for prime minister at GE15.
Umno previously proposed vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob as its candidate for prime minister ahead of GE15. Ismail is the current prime minister.
Zahid, 69, was acquitted after judge Yazid Mustafa ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the Umno president and former deputy prime minister.
Zahid had been accused of 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) as the then home minister to extend the firm’s contract as the operator of a one-stop centre in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain a contract for the supply of the VLN integrated system.
He was also charged with seven other counts of obtaining for himself S$1.15 million, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company in connection with his official duties.
Let the fun and games begin..
ReplyDeleteZahid, as UMNO President should be PM of an Umno-government.
But he still has court cases pending, in spite of the latest acquittal.
Ismail Sabri is definitely not sitting idle allowing himself to be a short-term Lane Duck PM.
In the background is Mohd Hassan who is making his move to Federal Level, and almost certainly the PM position.
Not to forget, it is no longer an assured certainty that UMNO or whatever coalition UMNO is part of will win GE 15, in which case , all the power struggles within UMNO will count to nothing.
Looks like UMNO still has doubts about Zahid.
ReplyDeleteWhile he may have gotten off in the latest trial, there is no guarantee it will remain so because the prosecution can appeal the decision.
Additionally, he has other cases to answer for. So, yes, he should not be PM designate although by convention the President of UMNO becomes PM when UMNO wins.
In any case, there seems to be little respect for Zahid and I really doubt if he has enough support within UMNO. We must also not forget Hadi's effort to drive a wedge between Zahid and the rest of UMNO.