IN SIGN OF UMNO RESURGENCE – SHAHIDAN’S BROTHER RETURNS TO PARTY AFTER 2 YEARS AS ‘INDEPENDENT’

 Datuk Ismail Kassim Barisan Nasional candidate for Tambun Tulang raising his hand in joy after being declared the winner by the returning officer at Civic Hall of Perlis in Arau, Perlis.

KANGAR: Tambun Tulang state assemblyman Datuk Ismail Kassim hsa rejoined Umno after almost two years as an independent.

Perlis Umno liaison secretary Azizan Sulaiman, who confirmed the matter, said Ismail, the younger brother to Arau MP Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, had conveyed his intentions to Umno headquarters in February and his return to the party had been confirmed last week.

“His name actually has never been removed from his division because he has never officially quit the party.

“His return to the party is as if he has been active again in the party,” he said when contacted.

Ismail declared he quit the party in June 2018 to become an independent assemblyman.

The 60-year-old lawmaker was said to have been keen on joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and had declared this to the media in a press conference.

However, his entry into Bersatu, was denied by then Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahya who reportedly said the party did not receive any application from Ismail.

ANN