Malaysia election: Ahmad Zahid says he did not ask UMNO candidates to back him as PM

KUALA LUMPUR: United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied asking candidates from the coalition to back him as prime minister in the upcoming 15th general election (GE15). 

Malay Mail quoted him as saying on Tuesday (Nov 1) that “it’s a lie”, when asked about a media report claiming that BN candidates were required to sign letters to back him as prime minister. 

The report cited sources who said that Ahmad Zahid has been going state by state to give out credential letters to BN candidates to contest GE15, with the condition they sign a pledge of allegiance and give him the mandate to form the government, should the coalition win the federal polls on Nov 19. 

The sources added that BN candidates were asked, through the pledge, to support Ahmad Zahid to negotiate with other political parties and appoint Cabinet members from MPs of his choice.  

Ahmad Zahid issued his denial about the report when he met the media at the Kuala Lumpur court complex where he is on trial for 47 charges of corruption, breach of trust and money laundering. 

Leading up to the dissolution of parliament on Oct 10, Ahmad Zahid had been very vocal in pushing for snap polls, ostensibly to seek a fresh mandate from the people. This is despite objections from the opposition and Mr Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s members of the Cabinet. 

As BN chairman Ahmad Zahid is expected to unveil the coalition’s list of candidates for GE15 at a special event on Tuesday night.  

Malaysian media have quoted sources as saying that some UMNO ministers who have been vocal against Ahmad Zahid are likely to be dropped from the list.  

Among them are caretaker federal territories minister Shahidan Kassim and caretaker communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa.

Two other ministers likely to be dropped are caretaker technology and innovation minister Dr Adham Baba and caretaker national unity minister Halimah Mohamed Sadique. 

Apart from being seen as not supportive of Ahmad Zahid, the ministers are also said to be in close ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which helped form Mr Ismail Sabri’s government. 

PN which comprises mostly members of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is also scheduled to unveil its list of GE15 candidates on Tuesday. 

More than 21 million people will cast their ballots in Malaysia’s GE15 to elect 222 new members of the Lower House of parliament. 
 
The Election Commission has fixed the polling day on Nov 19 and nomination on Nov 5.