Zahid: Accept candidates decided by party leadership
SHAH ALAM, Sept 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno members in particular must change their mindset by accepting candidates decided by the party’s top leadership to contest in the coming general election.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) said this was necessary to ensure BN’s victory in the coming general election and with a more comfortable majority.
He said elements of sabotage, such as those that took place during the previous general election, should not be repeated and party interests should be above individual interests.
“We should accept the BN top leadership’s choice of candidates who are capable of winning the elections to form the next state and federal governments.
“This is also aimed at getting two-thirds majority in Parliament,” he told reporters after opening the Shah Alam Umno division delegates’ meeting, which was attended by 1,000 delegates here, this evening.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also defence minister, also reminded the Selangor BN machinery to carry out their tasks with full commitment to redeem the mistakes made in the last general election.
He said compared to 2008, the mood of the people towards BN in the state was totally different, especially after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself became Selangor BN chairman and gave his full commitment to the state which BN had failed to win.
Earlier in his speech, Zahid offered to help strengthen the polling areas and party machinery in Selangor in preparation for the coming general election.
He also asked party members to approach fence-sitters who could be the deciding factor for BN’s victory in the upcoming elections.
“Some 39.5 per cent of the voters are fence-sitters and their votes could decide the victory of parties contesting in the general election. We must approach them and convince them to continue to be with us,” he said. — Bernama
