Langkawi Umno says will not accept Mukhriz

(Bernama) -- Langkawi Umno division has objected to the possibility of Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir contesting in Langkawi in the March 8 general election.
Its divisional secretary Mohd Saiful Mustafa said the division would not accept candidates from outside the island, adding that "the division and a majority of people in Langkawi" rejected Mukhriz willingness to contest in the area.
He said in a statement today that they rejected Mukhriz as "he is not from Langkawi and he is not a member of the Langkawi Umno divisional committee."
Mukhriz, a son of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had expressed his willingness to contest the Langkawi parliamentary seat but said that it would be up to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to decide on his candidacy.
Saiful said a majority of people in Langkawi wanted incumbent MP Datuk Paduka Abu Bakar Taib to be renominated based on his performance.
He said it was not true that Abu Bakar was not interested in defending the seat. "On the contrary he has offered to contest the seat if the leaderships still want him to," he said.

the actual fact
from http://bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com/
The truth is far from what it seemed. In the Langkawi UMNO Division Exco Meeting last week, they only decided by simple majority that they urge Kedah UMNO Liaison nominate a local as their candidate for thr XII GE. They did not decide to nominate Dato’ Abu Bakar Taib, for his fifth term, nor did they reject Dato’ Mukhriz’s name as a possible candidate to replace Bakar.
A Langkawi UMNO Division Exco Maton Mahmud, who is also Sg. Itau UMNO Branch Head said Saiful’s statement was his personal opinion and not reflective of Langkawi UMNO Division’s stance and definitely not representative of the Langkawi voters’ opinion as well. In fact, generally Langkawi folks are very appreciative and grateful of what former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad did for Langkawi and transformed the once agriculture-based-back-water-boondocks into a globally known tourist destination, with world class resorts. It is obvious now they want Mukhriz continue what his father started and tirelessly worked on, and represent them, at national and international level.
He and another UMNO Langkawi Division Exco Ismail “Cikgu Man” Yaacob, who was also former ADUN Kuah that BN component parties; MCA, MIC and Gerakan endorsed Mukhriz’s nomination as BN candidate for Langkawi.
It was said that Saiful tried to organize a petition for the 91 UMNO Branch Heads to protest against Kedah UMNO Liaison to nominate Dato’ Mukhriz to UMNO top leadership, for a final consideration and decision. However he failed to get majority of the Langkawi UMNO Branch Heads’ co-operation and consideration. At the moment, so many people talk about Dato’ Mukhriz being nominated as the Langkawi BN candidate.
This latest statement by Saiful is definitely a mark of desperation, to reverse the “final list”, which is expected to be announced by Kedah BN Liaison Chairman Dato’ Seri Mahadzir Khalid in two or three days time. Each BN candidate will receive their letter of appointment as candidate on Friday afternoon, two days before nomination day.

tunku : dirty politic by langkawi's umno divisional secretary.