Look for clean candidate as Wanita chief

There is a need for a clean candidate for the Wanita Umno top post and not the two who are now in the race, says a former Umno veteran.

PETALING JAYA: The two candidates for the Wanita Umno leadership have ‘a lot of baggage’ and open to attack therefore they should find someone who is clean, Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said today.

The former Umno veteran was commenting on what has been termed “the mother of all battles” between incumbent Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Pengerang MP Azalina Othman in the party’s polls this year.

“Unfortunately, the names mentioned are all with a lot of baggage, and if such people are elected then Umno will be perpetually under attack,” he added.

Abdul Kadir said it was time Umno proved its sincerity in combating corruption and abuse of power.

“Umno leaders have been saying so many times that they want to fight corruption, abuse of power and extravagance…now is the time to prove it.

“The election results of GE13 show that the people cannot be fooled easily,” he added.

Asked who he thinks will be a suitable candidate for the top post, Abdul Kadir named former Wanita Umno deputy chief Kamilia Ibrahim, who has since been sacked for contesting the Kuala Kangsar parliamentary seat as an independent candidate.

“I thought Kamilia would have been a good and worthy candidate, but it is unfortunate that the leadership decided not to recognise her position and talents. It is a pity,” he said.

Abdul Kadir quit Umno after criticising the party for engaging in money politics, and now heads his own party, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan).

Contest is encouraged

Meanwhile, former Cabinet Minister Aziz Shamsuddin welcomed Azalina’s decision to contest against Shahrizat.

“This is a democratic country and Umno is a democratic party. I think anyone can go for the top post if they feel like doing so, whether it is Azalina or Shahrizat,” he said.

When contacted, Kamilia said contest should be encouraged as leadership was assessed by performance and “there should always be room for change”.

“So if your leader is not performing, then contest should be encouraged and the candidates must feel free to do so.

“But the candidates must be confident and capable of bringing Umno to greater heights.

“They must have integrity and principles that people look for, because this reflects the government in power and reflects the leadership of Umno,” she added.

Shahrizat, who was in the Cabinet for 11 years, was pressured to step down as Women, Family and Community Development Minister in March last year after her political career was derailed by the National Feedlot Centre scandal in 2011 where her husband was involved.

On the other hand, Azalina’s stint in the Youth and Sports Ministry was marred by several controversies, including the failed and costly plan to turn the rubber research centre in Brickendonbury in Britain into a high-performance sport centre for Malaysian athletes.