Permatang Pauh Umno Wants Division Chief To Contest In By-election

Permatang Pauh Umno Wants Division Chief To Contest In By-election

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- The Permatang Pauh Umno division has proposed that its chief, Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid, be fielded as the Barisan Nasional candidate to take on Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election.

The division's secretary, Ahmad Sahar Shuib, said the decision was made at a special divisional committee meeting on Monday night.

Ahmad Sahar announced this at an Umno election machinery meeting attended by Abdul Jalil as well as branch chiefs here last night.

In a news conference later, Abdul Jalil said he would leave it to the leadership to decide on his candidacy, saying, "We will abide by any decision."

Abdul Jalil said it would be better however, if the BN field a local because by doing so, the BN could concentrate on explaining issues raised by the opposition.

"By choosing a local who is known among the local community, it would be easier for us to approach the voters without having to waste time introducing the candidate," he said.

The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Parti Keadilan Rakyat President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail last week to make way for her husband, Anwar, to re-contest the seat.

Meanwhile, Abdul Jalil said the division had set up 22 bureaux -- including on information, operations room, posters, intelligence, psy-war and cyber unit -- to smoothen the division's preparation for the by-election.

"We understand that the young voters obtain numerous information through the Internet and blogs. We will give them the opportunity to interact with us through the new media," he said.

He added that there were about 10,000 new voters among the young in the area.

Meanwhile Abdul Jalil said the annual general meeting of 48 Umno branches in Permatang Pauh, scheduled for Aug 10, had been postponed to another date to concentrate on the by-election.

"Branches which have issued notice to hold meetings before Aug 10 will be allow to proceed. But we want all branch meetings scheduled on or after Aug 10 be postponed until after the by-election," he said.

Permatang Pauh Umno has 92 branches.

kzso - let's keep it simple. the by-election is between pr and bn. regardless of the candidates. period.