I hear Nurul Izzah is afraid to defend her seat, says Shahrizat

The 2008 general election witnessed the heads of giants rolling. One of them was three-term Lembah Pantai incumbent Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

She was defeated by election debutante Nurul Izzah, the then 28-year-old daughter of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Shahrizat, who is now the Wanita Umno chief, claimed that she has heard talk of Nurul being afraid to defend her seat, which she retained in the 2013 polls, in the coming general election.

Confident that the seat can be recaptured, the former minister claimed to have received complaints that the incumbent is not doing work in the constituency.

"Everywhere I go, the voters complain about an absent people's representative. I don't know whether this is true or not, but this is the feedback.

"I heard she's afraid to contest in Lembah Pantai, so it's better for (former federal territories and urban wellbeing minister) Raja Nong Chik Zainal Abidin who has been acting as a people's representative.

“Most opposition candidates are absentees and only spew rhetorics," she told a press conference at the sidelines of the Umno general assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

In the 2013 election, Nurul (photo) had defeated Raja Nong Chik with a majority of 1,847 votes.

Nong Chik, who is hoping to be named as BN's candidate for the Lembah Pantai seat in the coming polls, told a news portal that defeat has not stopped him from serving the people.

“I grew up in Lembah Pantai. Politically, I’ve been with the rakyat there for more than 30 years as the Lembah Pantai Umno head.

“It’s more of a personal attachment. Lembah Pantai was not just a place for me to advance my political career,” he told Malay Mail Online last month.

Nong Chik (photo) also claimed that unlike Nurul, who uses the excuse of not being in the ruling government when dealing with the constituents' grouses, he gets the work done.

Wanita Umno not to be made scapegoats

On a related matter, Shahrizat said Wanita Umno is not afraid of facing opposition top brass such as Nurul, her mother and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as well as DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang in the election.

However, she disagreed with Wanita Umno being made scapegoats by fielding them in constituencies which are considered “black” or dangerous for Umno.

Emphasising the need to practice caution, Shahrizat reminded the "higher-ups" not to "throw Wanita candidates at unsafe seats".

"But I believe this won't happen. We want Wanita to be placed where they should be placed accordingly, she said.

Shahrizat also confirmed that a list of candidates from Wanita Umno has indeed been submitted to the party's top leadership.

Wanita Umno at each respective state had been given the choice to select its own candidates, she explained.

"They know the right candidates. They have given me the list and the political bureau has taken a look at it. Ultimately the list that will be considered will be the list of candidates chosen through a screening process."

She, however, declined to reveal the exact number of Wanita Umno candidates that have been submitted.

"Many (names have been submitted). Because we want the prime minister to choose," she said.

Meanwhile, asked about suggestions that she be given a full ministership, Shahrizat merely said that she does not dwell on this as she has a duty to deliver the party's election machinery in her role as Wanita Umno chief.

"We have to win the election first. In politics, who knows what tomorrow brings," she said.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Monday expressed hope for Shahrizat to be given an "utmost important position" after the general election.

Shahrizat had previously served as women, family and community development minister but was forced to resign after being mired in the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) controversy.

She and her family had been accused of misusing public funds. In 2012, she was cleared by the MACC of having had a hand in awarding the multi-million ringgit project to her family members.- Mkini