Zafrul not on Umno's list of Selangor candidates: Sources
Umno supreme council member Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz was speculated to have been earmarked as the next Selangor menteri besar.
However, Malaysiakini learned that Umno might not field him in the upcoming state polls, which will make it impossible for him to take on the state’s top executive office.
According to sources within Umno and Pakatan Harapan, Zafrul (above) was initially placed for the Dusun Tua seat, but his name was allegedly crossed off the list at the last minute.
“There was a plan for Zafrul to contest the Dusun Tua seat. DAP has also agreed to make way for Umno so Zafrul can contest there,” said a source close to Umno’s top leadership.
“But his name is not on the list to be announced tonight,” the insider claimed.
BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to announce the coalition’s candidates for the upcoming six state elections in an event in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
Sources indicated that the Dusun Tua seat will instead be contested by former Semenyih state assemblyperson Johan Abdul Aziz, who is the Selangor Umno deputy chief.
Johan, who is also the Hulu Langat Umno division chief, declined to comment, saying “wait for the announcement tonight.”
Malaysiakini has also reached out to Zafrul and his aide for comments.
DAP unhappy
According to sources, the initial plan was for Zafrul to take on the battle at Sungai Kandis, but PKR allegedly declined to let go of the seat which it held for four consecutive terms.
The plan was then moved to Dusun Tua, which is being held by a DAP representative.
Sources from both coalitions claimed that after a series of negotiations, DAP agreed to make way for Umno at Dusun Tua after learning that the plan was for Zafrul to contest there.
However, the situation turned sour after local DAP party machinery learned that Johan will contest there instead which led them to boycott the launching of Harapan-BN’s ‘Perpaduan’ machinery for the Semenyih and Dusun Tua constituencies on Wednesday.
This was confirmed by Selangor DAP leader Ong Kian Ming, who said it will be difficult for them to support Umno in Hulu Langat.
“The lack of transparency and honesty in my communications with a key Umno leader in Hulu Langat over who will contest in the Dusun Tua and Semenyih seats has made it very difficult for DAP in Hulu Langat to fully support the Umno candidates in these two state seats in the upcoming state elections.
“The DAP state leadership will be meeting the branches in Hulu Langat to hear their thoughts and to discuss the next steps moving forward,” he said to Malaysiakini.
Sources indicated that the Dusun Tua seat will instead be contested by former Semenyih state assemblyperson Johan Abdul Aziz, who is the Selangor Umno deputy chief.
Johan, who is also the Hulu Langat Umno division chief, declined to comment, saying “wait for the announcement tonight.”
Malaysiakini has also reached out to Zafrul and his aide for comments.
DAP unhappy
According to sources, the initial plan was for Zafrul to take on the battle at Sungai Kandis, but PKR allegedly declined to let go of the seat which it held for four consecutive terms.
The plan was then moved to Dusun Tua, which is being held by a DAP representative.
Sources from both coalitions claimed that after a series of negotiations, DAP agreed to make way for Umno at Dusun Tua after learning that the plan was for Zafrul to contest there.
However, the situation turned sour after local DAP party machinery learned that Johan will contest there instead which led them to boycott the launching of Harapan-BN’s ‘Perpaduan’ machinery for the Semenyih and Dusun Tua constituencies on Wednesday.
This was confirmed by Selangor DAP leader Ong Kian Ming, who said it will be difficult for them to support Umno in Hulu Langat.
“The lack of transparency and honesty in my communications with a key Umno leader in Hulu Langat over who will contest in the Dusun Tua and Semenyih seats has made it very difficult for DAP in Hulu Langat to fully support the Umno candidates in these two state seats in the upcoming state elections.
“The DAP state leadership will be meeting the branches in Hulu Langat to hear their thoughts and to discuss the next steps moving forward,” he said to Malaysiakini.
Selangor DAP leader Ong Kian Ming
Dusun Tua is a Malay-majority seat with a composition of about 63 percent Malay voters, followed by Chinese (28 percent), Indian (seven percent), and others (two percent).
It used to be Umno’s traditional seat up until 2013 when PAS’ Razaly Hassan won in the 13th general election, defeating the then-incumbent Ismail Sani.
Razaly was in turn defeated by Edry Faizal in the 2018 general election with a majority of 10,422 votes.
Dusun Tua is a Malay-majority seat with a composition of about 63 percent Malay voters, followed by Chinese (28 percent), Indian (seven percent), and others (two percent).
It used to be Umno’s traditional seat up until 2013 when PAS’ Razaly Hassan won in the 13th general election, defeating the then-incumbent Ismail Sani.
Razaly was in turn defeated by Edry Faizal in the 2018 general election with a majority of 10,422 votes.
DAP had reluctantly agreed to give up one of its few.Malay-majority seats in Selangor to make way for Zafrul.
ReplyDeleteNow UMNO choses an unknown instead -and DAP has been played out.